No. 22 Baseball drops 2-of-3 to No. 6 UNC
Just when it seemed like all the momentum in the world was on Birdball’s side after a 6-1 win over North Carolina on Thursday night, it quickly came to a crashing halt on Friday and Saturday.
The Eagles’ lineup was shut down on Saturday, mustering just three hits in a 5-2 loss. But, it bounced back nicely Saturday, scoring seven runs. Should be plenty, right?
Well, not exactly.
BC led 7-3 after five thanks to a six-run top of the inning, but the bullpen gave up two in the sixth and three in the seventh, ultimately costing the Eagles an 8-7 loss.
BC (22-11. 9-6 ACC) entered the week ranked 22nd and in the Top 25 for the first time since 2023. After a comeback win against Maine mid-week, the Eagles will probably tumble a few spots, possibly landing just outside the Top 25.
On Saturday in the rubber game of the series, BC struck first in the top of the second on an RBI double from Kyle Wolff during the left field line, plating Jack Toomey who led off with a walk. The sixth-ranked Tar Heels scored three in the third and it stayed that way until the fifth.
The Eagles batted around, scoring six times to take the 7-3 lead. The big blow in the frame was a bases loaded-turned bases clearing double off the bat of Ty Mainolfi – although it was certainly a makable play. Toomey had an RBI double, Luke Gallo also had an RBI single and BC scratched a run across on a wild pitch.
Brady Miller (5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 2 K) started the sixth, but gave up a leadoff double and a walk, prompting manager Todd Interdonato to pull him for Kyle Kipp. UNC ended up scoring twice on a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly, keeping it close at 7-5.
Kipp was back out for the seventh and quickly walked two batters, got a fly out to left that nearly left the park and then walked the bases loaded. John Kwiatkowski came on and immediately spiked a pitch in the dirt, allowing a run to come home and make it 7-6. An Owen Hull single through the right side quickly gave the Tar Heels an 8-7 lead.
Luke Gallo walked to lead off the eighth for BC and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but BC couldn’t bring him across. In the ninth, Mainolfi had a two-out single, but a strike out ended the game.
As strong as the BC lineup continues to be just about every time out, the bullpen has now cost the team a handful of games, games that may come back to mean quite a bit when it comes to postseason decisions.
The best news for BC is the fact that they only have two road trips remaining this season after playing so many games on the road to open up. Clemson and Notre Dame are the only away series remaining. Virginia Tech, Duke, NJIT, and a possibly-top-ranked Georgia Tech visit Chestnut Hill. If BC is truly going to be a tournament team, they’ll also need to clean up on more local games against UMass (Beanpot), Dartmouth, Maine, UMass Lowell and UConn.
This Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech is the ALS Awareness Game at Fenway Park. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
