On a three-game win streak, including the Beanpot consolation, Boston College baseball (12-19, 5-10 Atlantic Coast) is back on track and ready to take on Wake Forest (14-20, 7-8) in a three-game conference series this weekend at home in Brighton. Both BC and Wake Forest are off to comparable starts to the year, which should make for a close matchup. The fact that attendance from many BC alumni and fans at Saturday’s game for the field dedication is likely could motivate the Eagles to take further strides.
Who is BC playing?
Wake Forest
When is BC playing?
Friday, April 13, at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 14, at 3 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
Brighton Baseball Field, Brighton, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game will be broadcast by ACC Network Extra and streamed on the WatchESPN app.
Probable Starters:
RHP Jacob Stevens (3-4) vs. RHP Griffin Roberts (3-3)
LHP Dan Metzdorf (0-4) vs. RHP Morgan McSweeney (1-4)
RHP Brian Rapp (3-3) vs. RHP Colin Peluse (5-0)
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) The Eagles lineup is paced by senior Jake Palomaki, who is batting .344 with 10 doubles, a triple, three home runs, and 22 RBI, making him a dangerous weapon to work around.
2) Gian Martellini extended his on-base streak this week against Quinnipiac, going 2-for-3 in the win. His streak is now at 18 games, the longest of the season for any BC player.
3) The Eagles did not record an error in their last game against Quinnipiac, marking it the 15th time they’ve done that this season. They also came out with a season-high six stolen bases and recorded double-digit hits for the 17th time this season.
Wake Forest:
1) Roberts, Wake Forest’s ace, leads the ACC in strikeouts with 79 in 56 innings pitched. With not as many strikeouts—but not far behind—Colin Peluse has a perfect 5-0 record and a 3.04 ERA.
2) The Demon Deacons have an overall team batting average of .257 compared to BC’s .259, making the two teams very similar on offense. Wake Forest has a 4.66 overall team ERA compared to the Eagles ERA of 5.49, giving them a bit of an advantage on the mound.
3) Freshman Bobby Seymour has broken out in his first year and is batting a team-high .325 with 19 runs, six doubles, four home runs, and 17 RBI.
Last Meeting:
Wake Forest leads the all-time series 19-17 against Boston College. Last year, the Demon Deacons took two of three in Winston-Salem, N.C. Wake Forest bookended an 8-0 Eagles shutout with wins of its own, winning 15-5 in the opener and 5-2 in the finale. Dan Metzdorf pitched well in the series, combining with John Witkowski for the scoreless outing.
Outlook:
On a three game win-streak and showing signs of shaking off its slow start, BC should feel motivated to continue on and impress in this weekend series. On offense, the Eagles need to continue to see the ball well and get men on base—especially their leading offensive players: Palomaki and Chris Galland. With Martellini heating up and Dante Baldelli shaking off a brief slump, BC has plenty of weapons to continue to turn in good offensive showings. Wake Forest is coming into this weekend with a strong offensive team, especially with Bobby Seymour and Jake Mueller—two tough outs in the offense. BC’s pitching trio needs to bring their A-game this weekend, as the Demon Deacons are comparable to the lineup the Eagles trot out. Regardless, it should be a pretty even series that has the potential to make the dedication of the new field a dramatic one.
Featured Image by Kaitlin Meeks / Heights Editor
