Coming off its first ACC series victory of the year, Boston College baseball (9-12, 4-5 Atlantic Coast) will host Connecticut (11-9, 1-2 American Athletic) on Tuesday afternoon. UConn recently fell short of defeating South Florida in the teams’ series finale and is looking forward to offset that loss with a win at BC. The game should be an interesting one, considering the teams’ strong rivalry and the fact that UConn was ranked in the preseason top 25.
Who is BC playing?
Connecticut
When is BC playing?
Tuesday, March 27, 3 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Brighton Campus Baseball Field, Brighton, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game will be streamed live on the ACC Digital Network.
Probable Starters:
RHP Jack Nelson (0-1) vs. RHP Jeff Kersten (0-1)
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) The Eagles have been consistent at the plate, with a total of 206 hits this season and a batting average of .274. For the 12th time this season, they recorded at least 10 hits in a game on Saturday in the back half of this past weekend’s doubleheader against Virginia Tech.
2) Junior Jake Palomaki is batting .418 and has reached base safely in the last 16 games.
3) Sophomore Brian Dempsey, one of the Eagles’ most consistent hitters, is batting .375 and has already logged three doubles, 10 RBIs, and 11 runs this season. He has also reached base safely in 20 out of this year’s 21 games.
UConn:
1) Thad Phillips is on fire—the junior catcher is currently on a four-game hit streak, where he is 7-for-16, with two doubles, four RBIs, and one home run under his belt. He has an overall batting average of .364 this season.
2) UConn is on a four-game win streak. Yet the Huskies’ year-long batting average is .258—four points below their opponents.
3) Junior pitcher Tim Cate allowed just five hits against USF in the past series and recorded a season-high 11 strikeouts, adding to his overall career total of 250 strikeouts. Fellow lefty Chase Gardner only gave up four hits and fanned five batters during the three-game set.
Outlook:
The Eagles recently inched one step closer to the .500 mark, stringing together a pair of conference victories against the Hokies. BC could have a tough competition this Tuesday against the Huskies—a team that was ranked highly in the preseason. The Eagles have to watch out for UConn’s lineup, a power-drive group that has already racked up 17 home runs this year. BC’s pitching staff, particularly the bullpen, has struggled for much of the year, but if it can manage to keep the ball in the zone and orchestrate a handful of one-two-three innings, the Eagles should have more than enough opportunities to create separation. The last thing BC needs is another four-hour offensive battle, especially before it travels south to face off against No. 12 Clemson.
Featured Image by Amelie Trieu / Heights Senior Staff
