Eagles Sweep Doubleheader, Claim Series at No. 10 Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Boston College baseball team swept a Saturday twinbill at No. 10 Virginia Tech to take the first ACC series of the season by scores of 8-5 and 7-3. The Eagles improved to 12-2, the best start in program history, while the Hokies dropped to 12-4 and saw their nine-game win streak snapped in the process.
Graduate right-hander Chris Flynn (Naugatuck, Conn.) saw his scoreless-inning streak end at 17 with an unearned run crossing the plate in the bottom of the first. It was the only time BC trailed in the opener as he shut down VT in the second after the Eagles immediately answered with two runs to take the lead.

Flynn (4-0) went 5.2 innings and gave up two more runs, the first earned charged to him this season, in his final inning of work. Overall, he gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Junior left fielder Cameron Leary (Bethpage, N.Y.) turned a one-run BC lead into a four-run lead with a three-run home run in the third. The Hokies cut the deficit in half with two runs against Flynn. The Eagles pushed their lead to three at 6-3 with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh, but Virginia Tech plated a pair in the home half to trim the lead to one.

Graduate right-hander Andrew Roman (Monson, Mass.) entered with the tying run aboard in the seventh and ended the threat with a strikeout and a caught stealing. He stayed on to strike out the side in the eighth and work around a two-out single in the ninth to earn his second save of the season.

A walk and a double in the first put Virginia Tech on top in the nightcap. That score remained until Boston College put two runs on the board in the sixth and led the rest of the way.

Senior center fielder Barry Walsh (Sterling, Mass.) singled and junior right fielder Travis Honeyman (Massapequa, N.Y.) doubled to set the table for a pair of sacrifice-flies. An inning later, Honeyman blasted a opposite-field, grand slam off the right field foul pole to make it 6-1 BC.

Freshman right-hander Bobby Chicoine (Armonk, N.Y.) went two innings in the start with one run against on two hits and a walk. Sophomore RHP Eric Schroeder (Ridgewood, N.J.) got the win in four-shutout innings of work. Schroeder (3-0) struck out four and gave up only two hits and a walk.

DETAILS
Score: Boston College 8-7, No. 10 Virginia Tech 5-3
Records: Boston College 12-2, 2-1; Virginia Tech 12-4, 1-2
Stadium: English Field
Attendance: 647

BC GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
·       A two-out error extended the top of the second and BC cashed in for two runs with RBI singles from Guzman and Walsh.
·       A single and walk set the table in the third and after failing to sacrifice both runners into scoring position, the next batter Leary hammered a three-run home run to right-center.
·       The Hokies set the table with two aboard and nobody out in the fifth, but Flynn rolled up a double play ball and ended the threat with a strikeout to leave runners on the corners.
·       With two runs in and the tying run at first, Burns threw out the baserunner on a stolen base attempt to preserve a one-run BC lead through seven.
·       Staying on to pitch the eighth, Roman struck out the side to maintain a one-run lead.

BC GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
·       Trailing 1-0 since the first, BC got the tying run in the sixth on a sacrifice-fly by Vetrano after Walsh singled and Honeyman doubled to set the table.
·       Leading by one, the Eagles loaded the bases with one out in the seventh and Honeyman brought in everyone with a grand slam off the right field foul pole.
·       BC added a run in the ninth with a two-out single by Leary to score Honeyman from second.

GAME NOTES
·       The Eagles 12-2 start is the best in program history having previously been 11-3 through the first 14 games of 2016; the last season BC reached the NCAA Tournament.
·       The series win marked the first since taking two-of-three at No. 25 Auburn in 2021 and first in ACC play since winning twice at No. 11 Duke earlier in the 2021 season.
·       The doubleheader sweep was the first in ACC play since 2017 against NC State.
·       The Eagles are 3-1 against ranked opponents this season; all in the last five days.
·       Flynn's 17-inning scoreless streak to start the season was snapped in the first with an unearned run charged to his line.
·       Honeyman recorded two multi-hit games to push his season total to and career total to 23.
·       Honeyman stole his fourth base of the season and ninth of his career.
·       Honeyman hit his first home run of the season and seventh of his career.
·       Honeyman matched his career-high with four RBI.
·       Honeyman hit the first grand slam by an Eagle since Leary against Merrimack (3/30/22).
·       Leary hit his sixth home run of the season and 24^th of his career. He is tied for sixth all-time in BC history with Tony Sanchez (2007-09), Jason Delaney (2002-05) and Eric Olsen (1997-00).
·       Leary posted two multi-hit games to push his season total to six and career total to 23.
·       Leary stole his third base of the season and ninth of his career.
·       Walsh stole his fourth base of the season and 13^th of his career.

UP NEXT
Boston College returns to Massachusetts following its eight-game, 11-day road trip to face Holy Cross on Tuesday, March 14.

Eagles Sweep Doubleheader, Claim Series at No. 10 Virginia Tech

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Team Stats

Travis Honeyman

Cameron Leary

Nick Wang

Vince Cimini

Players Mentioned

Bobby Chicoine

Chris Flynn

Travis Honeyman

Cameron Leary

Andrew Roman

Eric Schroeder

Barry Walsh

Players Mentioned

Bobby Chicoine

Chris Flynn

Travis Honeyman

Cameron Leary

Andrew Roman

Eric Schroeder

Barry Walsh