BRIGHTON, Mass. — The Notre Dame baseball team lost a back-and-forth affair to Boston College 9-8 Friday night at the Harrington Athletics Village.
In a game that featured five lead changes and three ties, the Eagles had the final rally of the night when they pulled ahead for good in the seventh inning. Notre Dame loaded the bases in the ninth and had the tying run just 90 feet away after a wild pitch but David LaManna hit a towering fly ball to left field that was caught right at the wall to end the game.
How It Happened
The Irish scored first Friday night after putting two runs across in the top of the second. LaManna got into scoring position after he hit a double down the line in left and came around to score on Jared Miller’s RBI single to right field. The next run came across after Jack Zyska survived a run-down between first and second. As he was going back and forth, Miller made a break for home and he scored while Zyska made it to second safely.
Boston College answered back in a big way in the bottom of the third. The Eagles recorded a barrage of hits in the inning and scored four runs to take a 4-2 lead at the end of the first three frames.
The Irish fought back in the very next inning. LaManna led the inning off with a single, his second hit of the game. He made it over to third after two wild pitches and Gilgenbach reached base on a walk. Miller also walked and the bases were loaded for Zyska. LaManna cut the deficit to one after scoring on a wild pitch and the Irish took the lead as Zyska singled to left to score Gilgenbach and Miller.
The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. A lead-off double came around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a ground out to second but Sheehan kept the game level at 5-5 after four innings.
Notre Dame wasted no time once again retaking the lead in the next half inning. Putz led the inning off with a hard-hit double to left field and advanced to third on a wild pitch. LaManna recorded the go-ahead RBI after grounding out to second and Putz scored on the play. Sheehan kept the Eagles off the board in the bottom half and the Irish held a 6-5 lead after five innings.
The Irish added an insurance run in the seventh and Spencer Myers got the inning started with a double to right center. Putz came to the plate with one out and he ripped a single the other way to right and Myers beat the throw home and scored from second.
Boston College answered in the seventh and took the lead back after scoring four runs in the inning. Heading to the eighth, the Eagles held a 9-7 lead on the third lead change of the game.
The Irish had one last rally in them in the final inning. The Irish had runners on the corners with two outs and Jake Singer up as a pinch hitter. He worked a full-count walk to load the bases and Myers scored to bring the deficit to one on a wild pitch. LaManna swung at the first pitch of the at bat and drove it deep to left but Galland made the catch right st the wall to end the game.
Game Notes
- David LaManna tied a career high with two runs after going 2-for-5 from the plate Friday night.
- Spencer Myers also had two runs against the Eagles, it is the seventh time this season he has had two or more runs in a game.
- Jared Miller tied a career high with two runs on the night.
- Jack Zyska tied a career high with two RBI. It is the fourth time this season he has had two RBI in a game.
Up Next
The Irish will take the field Saturday for the final time in the regular season before the conference tournament in Durham. Seeding will be on the line when the Eagles and Irish face off in the final game of the series at 12 p.m. ET.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the Irish baseball program, follow @NDBaseball on Twitter and @NotreDameBaseball on Instagram.
—ND—