Birdball Walks Off Game Two in 13 Innings to Split Doubleheader

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Boston College Baseball (12-12, 4-7 ACC) split the Friday doubleheader against Pittsburgh (16-10, 3-5 ACC) to force a series rubber match on Saturday. Tyler Mudd threw three perfect innings in relief in game two, and Adam Magpoc walked it off in the 13th to even the series.

Game One

The visitors put three runs on the board in the opening frame, but Jack Toomey quickly responded, driving a two-run shot deep to left field to make it a one-run game, his third homer of the year. The Panthers struck for four more in the third, but BC responded again. Kyle Wolff led off the third with a double, Josiah Ragsdale followed with a single, and Patrick Roche kept it rolling with a run-scoring knock. Vince Cimini reached, and after a Nick Wang RBI single, Adam Magpoc tied the game with a bases-loaded double down the right field line, clearing the bases and tying the game. Magpoc stole third, and Gunnar Johnson put the Eagles in front, as BC took an 8-7 lead into the fourth inning.

With one down in the fourth, Sam McNulty and Cimini turned a perfect 6-4-3 double play to preserve the one-run lead after four. JD Ogden relieved A.J. Colarusso after three innings, and followed his scoreless fourth with a zero in the fifth, wrapping up the frame with a strikeout on a 95 MPH heater to keep BC in front, 8-7 after five full. The sides traded zeroes in the sixth and seventh, but the Panthers struck with a two-run home run in the eighth, putting Pittsburgh up 9-8, a lead which would hold. Joey Ryan took the loss for the Eagles (1-1), with Daniel McAuliff earning the win (2-0).

Game Two

The Panthers brought one across in the opening frame, but the Eagles produced an early response once again. The first three batters reached to load the bases, and Jack Toomey drew a bases-loaded, RBI walk to tie the game. Adam Magpoc followed suit with a go-ahead RBI walk, and Julio Solier, making his first collegiate start at third base, put BC up 3-1 after beating the throw to first on a double-play attempt.

Peter Schaefer made his first start for the Eagles in game two of the doubleheader, and turned in three strong innings, striking out two while allowing just two hits and one run. Gavin Soares relieved him in the fourth, and punched out two to hang a zero and preserve the 3-1 lead. Pittsburgh drew one back on a sacrifice fly in the fifth, making it a 3-2 game. John Kwiatkowski entered in relief, inheriting two baserunners, but made quick work, logging a strikeout and inducing a pop-out to keep the Eagles in front after six.

With two down in the seventh, Eric Schroeder took over on the mound, punching out the final batter of the frame to strand the tying run at third and preserve the one-run lead. With two outs in the seventh, Kyle Wolff reached on an error and Josiah Ragsdale delivered an RBI double to add some insurance and extend the BC lead to 4-2 after seven. Jack Toomey led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to right field. Patrick Roche did not start game two, but came in to pinch hit and produced, lining an RBI single back up the middle to push the lead to 5-2. The Panthers rallied for a three-spot in the top of the ninth, tying the game at 5-5.

After Pitt forced extras, the two sides traded scoreless frames in the 10th, 11th, and 12th. Jack Toomey singled to lead off the 13th, and Adam Magpoc lined a ball to the right-center gap, scoring Toomey from first and walking it off for the Eagles to conclude a 13-inning thriller. Tyler Mudd earned the win (1-2) for the Eagles, tossing three perfect innings out of the bullpen in extras.

BC and Pitt will play in the series rubber match on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Birdball Walks Off Game Two in 13 Innings to Split Doubleheader

Next Event

Team Stats

Josiah Ragsdale

Patrick Roche

Jack Toomey

Gunnar Johnson

Players Mentioned

Vince Cimini

A.J. Colarusso

Gunnar Johnson

John Kwiatkowski

Adam Magpoc

Sam McNulty

Tyler Mudd

JD Ogden

Josiah Ragsdale

Patrick Roche

Joey Ryan

Peter Schaefer

Eric Schroeder

Gavin Soares

Julio Solier

Jack Toomey

Nick Wang

Kyle Wolff