A Cameron Leary walk-off home run in the 11th inning on Saturday ensured BC would not be swept on its annual Red Bandanna Weekend. Still, it was sandwiched between two dominant performances from No. 14 Florida State.
BC (17–13, 6–9 Atlantic Coast) got Sunday’s game off to a quick start after a sac-fly from Kyle Wolff scored Patrick Roche. Florida State (26–5, 7–5) responded in the top of the fifth inning when Alex Lodise smacked a single into left field and scored Marco Dinges.
The Seminoles ran into trouble after they pulled their starting pitcher, Carson Dorsey, in the sixth inning.
The Eagles loaded the bases with one out after a single from Kyle Wolff and walks from Nick Wang and Cameron Leary. Vince Cimini could not bring any runs home, as he lined out to shortstop during his at bat.
A pitch with two BC outs hit Adam Magpo, scoring Leary and giving BC a 2–1 lead. A subsequent flyout from Cam Caraher meant the Eagles did not do any serious damage, though, as they stranded three runners to end the inning.
Florida State made the Eagles pay almost immediately, as Florida State took control of the game in the seventh inning by scoring five runs.
Cal Fisher began the scoring by hitting a solo home run to left field. FSU loaded the bases.
Then, starter A.J. Colarusso walked in a run to make it 3-2. The lead grew to three runs after a double from James Tibbs, his first of two doubles on the afternoon. Tibbs finished 2-of-5 with five RBIs.
After the lead grew to 5–2, BC head coach Todd Interdonato pulled Colarusso.
“It seemed like he threw a lot better than his line turned out, and I will tell you that start— even though it turned out sour at the end— that does nothing but build confidence for us and what we have in him going forward,” Interdonato said.
Kyle Kipp came in to pitch for Colarusso, and the Seminoles’ lead grew to 6–2 after Dinges forced a fielder’s choice.
Kipp was able to record a strikeout to escape the seventh inning.
The Eagles failed to respond in the bottom of the seventh frame, and Tibbs ended the game with a three-RBI double in the top of the eighth inning to give the Seminoles a 9–2 lead.
Saturday’s game between the two teams was a much more balanced affair.
FSU’s Daniel Cantu got the scoring started with an RBI double to left-center field in the second inning before Vince Cimini tied the game with an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the frame.
Jaime Ferrer put the Seminoles up 2–1 with a single to center field in the third inning before the Eagles responded in the fourth inning, knotting the game 2–2.
The Eagles took control of the game in the sixth inning, putting up three runs and giving them a 5–2 lead.
A two-run homer from Max Williams brought the Seminoles back within a run in the seventh inning before BC scored on a fielder’s choice, putting them up 6–4.
Two runs from Florida State in the eighth inning tied the game at six, and the game headed to extra innings.
A solo home run from Cameron Leary in the 11th inning handed BC the upset.
“We’re coming up on 30 games in at this point. I feel like we have some areas that we feel really good about. I feel like we have some areas that we can continue to mold and get a little bit better,” Interdonato said.
