Eagles Lose Five-Run Lead to Fall to Notre Dame

Sunday, April 17

South Bend, Ind.

1:05 PM

Boston College

18-14, 5-11

Notre Dame

21-12, 9-7

Boston College

Notre Dame

Photo by: Jim Pierce

Eagles Lose Five-Run Lead to Fall to Notre Dame

April 17, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

Adams ties career highs and records first home run of season

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Notre Dame 11, Boston College 9
Records: Boston College (18-14, 5-11 ACC) at Notre Dame (21-12, 9-7 ACC)
Location: Jake Kline Field at Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend, Ind.
Series Record: Notre Dame sweeps the series, 3-0

BC HIGHLIGHTS

Junior Johnny Adams tied career highs with four hits four RBIs and four hits. He also recorded his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the seventh.
Freshman Gian Martellini first career triple and drove in two RBIs.
Sophomore Jake Palomaki recorded a walk and a run. He has reached base in 27 of the Eagles' 32 games.
Junior Nick Sciortino tied a career high with three runs scored on the day. He was 1-for-3 with three walks and caught his 11^th base runner stealing.

KEY PLAYS

The Eagles led the Irish, 9-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh but gave up five runs to tie the game.
Notre Dame took the lead with two runs in the eighth and even though the Eagles loaded the bases in the ninth, they could not push across any runs, giving ND the win and series sweep.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles took an early, 2-0 lead in the first as they loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. With one down, Martellini drew a walk to bring in the first run. The Irish went to the pen quickly and starter Ryan Smoyer was replaced by David Hearne. He got a fly ball to left before Adams came up with a single through the right side to score another BC run.
The Irish answered in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. Cavan Biggio led off with a base hit up the middle and with two outs, junior right-handed starter Mike King walked Matt Vierling. Ricky Sanchez cleared the bases with three-run shot to left.
BC retook the lead in the second with a five-run inning. Freshman Dominic Hardaway led off with a double off the wall in left center and after Palomaki moved him over on a sac bunt, the Eagles drew three consecutive walks to bring in the tying run. A popup was the second out, but senior Logan Hoggarth drew another bases-loaded walk to put BC on top. ND brought in RHP Connor Hale and Adams drilled the first pitch he saw to left for a two-run single. Sophomore Anthony Maselli followed with a base hit to right center to make it 7-3 before a strikeout looking ended the inning.
Notre Dame plated one in the fourth as Kyle Fiala led off with a base hit to center, moved to second on Lane Richards' single and scored with two outs on Jake Shepski's single through the right side.
The Eagles added a run in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a five-run lead. Sciortino led off the sixth with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs and Shepski on the mound, Martellini knocked one to right that Zak Kutsulis could not come up with, allowing Sciortino to score.
Adams started the seventh with solo shot to left before three outs retired the side.
The Irish got five in the seventh to tie the game at nine. Senior RHP John Nicklas loaded the bases on a double, single and a walk but got two outs on strikeouts in the process. Senior LHP Jesse Adams came in and gave up back-to-back base hits, scoring three runs. Kutsulis doubled to left center to plate two more and tie the game before Adams got the third out swinging.
The Irish took the two-run lead in the eighth after Sciortino led off the top of the inning with a double and was stranded at third. Sanchez led off with single to left and Torii Hunter, Jr. came in to pinch run. He stole second and catcher Sciortino's throw skipped into center, allowing him to take third. Freshman RHP Thomas Lane entered the game and got a fly ball for the first out, but gave up a single up the middle to Fiala to plate the go-ahead run. Fiala stole second and scored on Richards' base hit to center. The Eagles got Richards trying to take second and ended the inning on a diving stop by sophomore first baseman Mitch Bigras.
BC had a chance in the ninth, as the Eagles loaded the bases with one out. Adams recorded his fourth hit with a single up the middle and sophomore Scott Braren followed with a base hit through the left side. Junior Chris Balogh drew a walk to load them up, but a shallow fly ball and grounder to short ended the scoring threat and the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Braren is 7-for-12 in the last five games with three hits as a late-inning, pinch-hitting replacement.
Balogh is 1-for-2 with three walks as a pinch hitter in the last five games.
The Eagles recorded the most runs in an ACC contest this season. They previously scored seven in the conference-opening against in Raleigh against NC State on March 11. The 11 runs allowed and 17 hit given up were also the most the BC pitching staff has surrendered in the ACC this season.
BC has hit four lead-off home runs this season, the last off the bat of Michael Strem at Massachusetts on March 30.
For the second time in 2016, the Eagles lose all three games of the series. They also dropped all three games at then-No. 22 Clemson March 18-20.
BC falls to 4-15 in South Bend in the all-time series and 10-29 overall against the Irish.

UP NEXT
BC will defend their Beanpot title on Wednesday, April 20 as they take on Northeastern at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass. The consolation game between Harvard and Massachusetts will start at 2:30 p.m. and the Eagles and Huskies will start immediately following the conclusion of the game.