March 8, 2009

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Boston College baseball team accomplished something this weekend that has never been done - it beat Florida State in an ACC opening weekend series. The Eagles stormed into Dick Howser Stadium and took two of three from the No. 6 Seminoles with a 12-5 victory Sunday afternoon.

Since 1992, Florida State had been 43-5 in games during the conference's opening weekend before the Eagles took two of three from them this weekend. The Seminoles had swept their opening ACC series in six-straight years. FSU had not even lost a game in an ACC opening series since 2002 and hadn't faltered at home since 1997.

BC also did it at Dick Howser Stadium, one of the toughest places to play in the country. Entering the series, the Seminoles had a winning percentage of .835 (829-163-1) all-time in their home park.

Junior Tony Sanchez reached base in every plate appearance on the day, going 3-for-3 with three walks and a double. He drove in four runs and scored twice. Junior Robbie Anston went 3-for-4 with two walks and three runs while sophomore Mickey Wiswall was 3-for-6 with three RBI.

BC's bullpen did not allow any Seminole runs after they posted four in the third inning. Junior Chris Kowalski was awarded the win after throwing 3.1 innings and allowing just one hit. He also struck out the side in the sixth inning. Over 6.1 innings, six pitchers combined to allow three hits and one run.

Boston College struck first in the top of the third inning with three runs. Sophomore Matt Hamlet got on with a single through the left side of the infield to lead off and then junior Robbie Anston turned on a 0-2 offering and singled to right to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Sophomore Garret Smith drove in the game's first run when he pulled another 0-2 pitch to the wall in left-center for a double.

Florida State loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning with nobody out and the 3-4-5 batters coming to the plate. Mike McGee popped out to freshman Brad Zapenas at second for the first out but Jason Stidham drove a pitch off the wall in right for a double and to pull the Seminoles within one, 3-2.

Stuart Tapley was caught looking at a 3-2 off-speed pitch for the second out of the inning but Ohmed Danesh singled through the right side to bring home two runs and give FSU a 4-3 lead.

The Eagles returned the favor with four runs of their own in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Mike Sudol and Anston both walked to put runners on first and second with one out, and then Smith chopped a grounder to the shortstop that went under his glove to score Sudol and put runners on the corners.

Florida State head coach Mike Martin brought on the right-handed sidearm pitcher Ben Francis to face Sanchez but on the first pitch, Sanchez sent one to the corner in right field to put the Eagles back on top, 6-4. Sanchez recorded a double and reached third on the throw to the plate.

Martin then went to the leftie Brian Busch to face Wiswall, but he took a 1-0 pitch and singled to right to score Sanchez and increase the lead to 7-4.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Tyler Holt singled up the middle and then Tommy Oravetz walked to put two men on and the tying run at the plate. Freshman Matt Brazis came on to face Mike McGee and got him to fly out to right. Senior Matt O'Brien then came on to face Stidham with runners on the corners and two outs and got him to fly out to left to get BC out of the inning unscathed.

BC added two more insurance runs in the top of the eighth to extend the lead to 9-4. Anston drew a leadoff walk and after being sacrificed over by Smith, FSU intentionally walked Sanchez. Wiswall stepped to the plate and singled down the right field line to make it 8-4 Eagles. Wiswall then stole second to put a pair in scoring position and Belfiore drove in another run with a sacrifice fly to left-center.

The Eagles tacked on three more runs for good measure in the ninth inning. BC's 7-8-9 batters all got on as Zapenas singled while Sudol and junior John Spatola walked to load the bases with nobody out. Anston drove in one run with a single to center and after a strike out, Sanchez brought home two more with a single through the left side.

Florida State (7-5, 1-2 ACC) tacked on a run in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch.

BC (10-3, 2-1 ACC) will take a four-day respite from games before traveling to Atlanta next weekend to face No. 9 Georgia Tech in a three-game ACC series. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday night at Russ Chandler Stadium with game times slated for 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.