It took eighteen and a half innings for Boston College baseball to finally snag a lead over Maryland in its weekend series. Even then, the lead was just 1–0—a slight advantage earned off of Nick Wang’s RBI double in the bottom of the first inning.
After a home run from Chris Hapocian tied the game up in the top of the eighth, it was unclear whether solid pitching and Wang’s hit—BC’s sole scoring play up to that point—would be enough for an Eagles’ win.
But Wang struck again. And this time, it got BC (22–27, 8–19 Atlantic Coast) a 2–1 win over Maryland (34–19, 10–11 Big Ten).
The Eagles completed their first and only double play of the game at just the right time, to end the top of the ninth and give themselves the chance to walk off with a win in the bottom half of the frame.
Wang led off for the Eagles, and he proved himself to be all BC needed to come out victorious on Sunday afternoon.
He sent a home run flying over the wall of Harrington Athletics Village, breaking BC’s eight-game losing streak. Following back-to-back losses for the Eagle’s in Saturday’s doubleheader, Wang’s home run gave the Eagles their first win over the Terrapins.
BC’s two losses on Saturday were in large part due to poor pitching. On Sunday, though, pitching seemed to be the Eagles’ strongest link.
Farinelli got the start on the mound, and he did not disappoint. He allowed five hits and no runs through the first five innings.
In the fifth inning, Farinelli retired the first three batters he faced, maintaining the Eagles’ lead before Tyler Mudd replaced him in the top of the sixth.
Mudd continued the solid pitching from BC. He retired six batters in a row before Hacopian sent one of his pitches flying out of the park to knot the game at 1–1 heading into the bottom of the eighth.
BC tried to respond through Sean McNulty, who sent a single flying through the right side. He advanced to second base on a passed ball, then to third in the same way. Suddenly, the Eagles were set up to score with just one out on the board and McNulty ready to take off from third.
Ultimately, though, McNulty’s efforts didn’t do much. Andrew Johnson struck out Cameron Leary, Kyle Wolff grounded out, and the inning ended with things still tied.
Eric Schroeder came in to pitch the ninth. He struck out the first batter he faced, and although Kevin Keister reached on a fielding error, the Eagles’ double play off of Michael Iannazzo’s groundout handed BC the chance to end things in the bottom of the frame.
The Eagles did just that, rallying behind Wang’s homer to save themselves from a winless weekend.
Saturday evening’s game was not nearly as satisfying for BC.
In the top of the third inning, BC starting pitcher A.J. Colarusso walked the first batter up. Then, he allowed three singles through the left side in a row, the third of which was a two RBI hit that gave the Terrapins their first lead of the evening.
A breakdown by BC’s defense allowed C. Hapocian to steal second and advance to third on the throw, and E. Hacopian to steal third and score on the throwing error. Another single near the end of the inning scored C. Hapocian to cap off Maryland’s quickly attained 4–0 lead.
BC responded in the bottom of the third when Leary grounded out and scored leadoff hitter Beck Milner, who had singled to start the inning. Then, a single to left center from Kyle Wolff scored Barry Walsh and cut the Terrapins’ lead in half.
In the top of the seventh, C. Hapocian sent an RBI single to right field, scoring E. Hacopian to make it 5–2, and although a walk from Nick Wang in the bottom of the ninth scored Sean McNulty from third base, the Eagles fell short and dropped their second game of the series 5–3.
BC saw even less success in its first game against Maryland.
The Terrapins managed to put six runs on the board in the first inning alone, catapulting them to an eventual 8–1 victory over the Eagles.
The trouble started when starting pitcher John West hit the second batter in the first inning with a pitch. Things only got worse from there for the Eagles. West walked two batters and hit another with a pitch before the inning was over.
The Terrapins hit two singles in a row, and a fielding error by BC allowed Maryland to grab a 2–0 lead. A two RBI double at the end of the inning secured a 6–0 lead for Maryland—a differential the Eagles wouldn’t cut into until the bottom of the fourth, when they scored their first and only run of the game.
Wolff got hit by a pitch, then Wang singled through the left side. Adam Magpoc reached on a fielder’s choice on a play in which Wang was tagged out at second. Then, Vince Cimini’s single to center field sent Wolff through home plate.
But the Terrapins ended the inning by catching Cimini trying to steal second, and BC was unable to score again on its way to a seven-run loss.
