Eagles Drop Series to Pittsburgh in One-Run Affair

Saturday, March 26

Pittsburgh, PA

1:00 PM

Boston College

13-7, 3-6-0

Pittsburgh

11-9, 4-5-0

Boston College

Pitt

Photo by: Jim Pierce

Eagles Drop Series to Pittsburgh in One-Run Affair

March 26, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

Maselli hits first homer of his season

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Pittsburgh 5, Boston College 4
Records: Boston College (13-8, 3-6 ACC) at Pittsburgh (11-9, 4-5 ACC)
Series Record: Pitt wins the series, 2-1
Location: Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Freshman right-handed starter Jacob Stevens threw six innings, allowed just two hits, one run, three walks and struck out five. In 34 career innings, he has allowed just two earned runs.
Sophomore Jake Palomaki had two hits and scored in the game. He has recorded at least one hit in 14 of the Eagles' 21 games and reached base in 18 contests.
Sophomore Anthony Maselli launched his first home run – second of his career – in the third inning to give BC an early 1-0 lead.
Junior Michael Strem led the way with a 2-for-4 outing, plating two runs for the Eagles in the eighth inning to tie the game.

KEY PLAYS

The Eagles went into the eighth down, 3-1, but rallied two score two runs to tie the game.
BC committed two costly errors in the bottom of the inning, allowing the Panthers to plate two charged to sophomore RHP Brian Rapp.
BC got one in the top of the ninth, but it was all they could muster, falling, 5-4.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles were the first to strike as Maselli launched one over the center-field wall to start the third inning. BC continued to threaten as Palomaki followed with a bunt single and senior Joe Cronin knocked a base hit through the left side. Sophomore Donovan Casey moved Palomaki to third with a fielder's choice and stole second to put himself in scoring position but Pitt starter T.J. Zeuch struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.
Pitt evened the game in the fourth. Charles LeBlanc drew a lead-off walk and Nick Yarnell followed with a double to center to put runners on second and third. Alex Kowalczyk plated LeBlanc with a grounder to third and Stevens followed with two groundouts to end the inning.
The Panthers took the lead in the sixth with senior John Nicklas on the hill. Nicklas started the inning with a strikeout but gave up a walk to Yarnell, who stole second. Kowalczyk hit a triple off the left-field wall to score Yarnell and David Yanni plated Kowalczyk with a sac fly. A liner to second ended the inning.
The Eagles tied the game at three in eighth with RHP Isaac Mattson on the hill. Palomaki led off with a walk and stole second. With two down, senior Stephen Sauter reached on a walk and classmate Gabriel Hernandez came in to pinch run. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch but sophomore pinch hitter Mitch Bigras drew a walk to load the bases. Strem came through with a single to right to plate the tying runs. A liner to left ended the inning.
The Panthers retook the lead in the bottom of the inning, capitalizing off BC errors. Rapp started the inning and got two quick outs before issuing a walk to Yarnell. A balk moved him into scoring position and BC intentionally walked Kowalczyk. Junior RHP Justin Dunn entered and gave up a single to left to Yanni. Senior leftfielder Logan Hoggarth misplayed the ball, allowing Yanni to move to second. With runners on second and third, Frank Maldonado chopped one to third, which Maselli could not handle, allowing another run in. Dunn got a strikeout to end the inning.
In the ninth, Adams led off with a double to straightaway center off RHP Tyler Garbee. Righty Yaya Chentouf came into the game and got a chopper back to the mound for the first out. Adams moved to third on a bunt by Palomaki and scored on a passed ball to make it a one-run game. It was all the Eagles could muster as Cronin popped it up behind home plate to end the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Since Pittsburgh joined the ACC in 2014, the Panthers have won both conference matchups against the Eagles – once in Chestnut Hill in 2014 and in Pittsburgh, both times taking two games of three.
The Eagles recorded two errors – both in the ninth inning. BC is 3-3 when committing two or more errors.
Maselli's lead-off home run was the second of the season for the Eagles. Sauter hit one in the third inning on March 18 at Clemson.
When tied after eight innings, the Eagles are now 1-1 on the season.
BC outhit Pitt, 9-4. It was only the second time in 2016 the Eagles lost when recording more hits. They are 11-2 on the year.
Zeuch recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over seven innings of work. He allowed six hits, one run and did not walk a batter.

UP NEXT
The Eagles open Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea Field on Tuesday, March 29 with a 3 p.m. contest against Connecticut before hosting 10^th-ranked Florida State for a three-game set beginning on Friday, April 1.