After suffering three-straight losses to Florida State—one of which was the Eagles’ first defeat in the ALS Awareness Game in four years—Boston College baseball (13-26, 5-16 Atlantic Coast) will get a chance to right the ship on Tuesday afternoon at Massachusetts Lowell (17-19, 8-7 America East). Considering where they were last year at this time—seven games below .500—the Eagles still have a shot to make a push for a third-straight ACC Tournament appearance. That said, head coach Mike Gambino’s team is running out of time. At this point, every game is a must-win, including Tuesday’s matchup against the River Hawks.
Who is BC playing?
Massachusetts Lowell
When is BC playing?
Tuesday April 24, at 4 p.m.
Where is BC playing?
LeLacheur Park, Lowell, Mass.
How to Watch:
The game will be broadcast by ACC Network Extra and streamed on the WatchESPN app.
Probable Starters:
RHP Jack Nelson (1-1) vs. RHP Henry Funaro (3-4)
By the Numbers:
BC:
1) Freshman outfielder Chris Galland has reached base in 14-straight games this season—the longest current streak of any Eagle. Against FSU, he was 2-for-3 and had an RBI.
2) BC has a batting average of .248 with three everyday players above the .300 mark: Galland (.331), Jake Palomaki (.329), and Brian Dempsey (.313).
3) Both Palomaki and Dempsey have reached base in the 35 of BC’s 39 games this season. Each also recorded at least one hit in every game played against FSU.
UMass Lowell:
1) The River Hawks have an overall team ERA of 5.45 compared to BC’s ERA of 5.42. UMass Lowell’s strikeout-to-walk ratio gives it a competitive edge: The River Hawks’ pitching staff has fanned 310 batters in 305.2 innings of work, only walking 199—the Eagles, on the other hand, have struck out 322 batters in the span of 359 innings and walked 208.
2) Junior infielder Russ Olive is batting .380 with 10 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, and 27 RBIs this season. Not too far behind, senior outfielder Colby Miaola, is batting.310 and has seven doubles, two triples, five home runs, and 28 RBIs.
3) As a team, UMass Lowell, is batting an average of .247, which includes two routine players—Russ Olive and Colby Miaola—both consistently hitting over the .300 mark.
Last Meeting:
Boston College is 2-0 against UMass Lowell. The teams’ meeting in the 2017 season was postponed and moved to a further date where the Eagles came out with a 6-1 victory. UMass Lowell scored its only run in the ninth inning and was held in check by Jack Nelson, who didn’t allow a run or a walk through his five-inning start—not to mention, he struck out three and allowed just one hit during the outing.
Outlook:
After BC was just starting to show signs of improvement, its three-game skid has halted any sort of progress, putting a damper on the team’s 2018 postseason hopes. In order to get back on track, the Eagles’ lineup will have to generate offense on Tuesday. Whoever’s on the bump will need at least a few insurance runs to keep UMass Lowell at bay. As a team, the River Hawks pose a threat with two key offensive players—Olive and Miaola—who are both hitting over .300 this season. The stats suggest that Tuesday’s matchup could very well go down to the wire. It’s safe to say, BC—a team that’s dropped five extra-inning affairs this season—will be aiming for a more convincing result.
Featured Image by Keith Carroll / Heights Editor
