Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Wake Forest
Baseball Wins Series Opener Against Wake Forest, 11-9
April 16, 2010 | Baseball
April 16, 2010
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Sophomores Anthony Melchionda and Andrew Lawrence combined to drive in seven runs as the Boston College baseball team beat Wake Forest, 11-9, Friday afternoon at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea Field.
Melchionda went 3-for-4 with a game-high four RBI and two runs while Lawrence finished the day 3-for-5 with three RBI.
Senior John Spatola went 3-for-4 with a double, two steals, an RBI and three runs. Junior Matt Hamlet and sophomore Brad Zapenas both had a pair of hits.
Junior Pat Dean got the start on the mound and pitched 4.0 innings, allowing three runs - two earned - on five hits on a limited pitch count. Junior Kevin Moran got the win after throwing 4.1 innings in relief. Freshman Hunter Gordon picked up his first save, striking out the only batter he faced to end the game.
Boston College (17-17, 7-9 ACC) struck in the bottom of the first, scoring a run with two outs. Junior Mickey Wiswall slashed a double over the third base bag and then Spatola took an 0-1 pitch to the gap in right for an RBI double.
Wake Forest loaded the bases in the top of the third, but Dean induced a double play and escaped with minimal damage as the Deacs tied the game with a single run.
The Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. With runners on first and second, Melchionda pulled an RBI single through the left side and then a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Lawrence battled at the plate with an 0-2 count, fouling off three pitches and eventually singling to right to drive in both runners and give BC the three-run lead.
Wake put up two more runs in the fourth to pull within a run. Steven Brooks led off with a double down the third base line and after a strikeout, Mac Williamson singled to drive him in. The ball got past the right fielder which allowed Williamson to get to second and then Patrick Blair drove him in with a double to the wall in right.
BC posted three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 7-3. Hamlet singled with one out then used smart base running to score the inning's first run. After he stole second, a wild pitch got past the catcher on a strikeout that could have ended the inning. When the throw went to first, Hamlet never stopped as he rounded third and scored.
Watson walked to put a pair on base and then a double steal moved them both into scoring position. The throw to second went wild which allowed Spatola to score, then Melchionda singled to drive in Watson for the four-run cushion.
The scoring continued into the top of the fifth with two more runs for the Deacs. Brooks singled through the left side for an RBI and then manufactured a run himself, stealing second and then scoring after a pair of wild pitches.
BC scored another run in the bottom of the fifth to make it 8-5. Senior Robbie Anston drew a four-pitch walk with two outs and stole second before Hamlet drove him in with an RBI single.
The Eagles added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, which they would need. Spatola hit a leadoff single and then got to second on a passed ball. The first baseman dropped an out on a groundball to put runners on the corners and then freshman Philip Miclat stole second as the pinch runner. Melchionda then took a 3-2 pitch back up the middle for a single and two runs. He stole second to get into scoring position and Lawrence drove him in with a single.
Wake Forest scored four times in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate before it was finished. Ryan Lloyd and Heyman walked with one out and then Ryan Semeniuk drove in a run with a single. Brooks doubled in another run and then Murray hit a comebacker off the pitcher that went into left field for a two-run double to make it 11-9.
Brooks went 3-for-5 for the Demon Deacons (10-26, 2-14) with two doubles, two RBI and three runs. Blair had a double, a run and an RBI and Murray also drove in a pair.
Game two of the series is slated for Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
