Back on track

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-There's nothing like a match-up against Harvard to right the ship for the baseball team.

After dropping five games in a row and nine of their past 10, the Eagles traveled to Cambridge to pitch their way to a 6-3 victory over the Crimson. Junior righty Terry Doyle got the start and went four innings, surrendering three runs on two hits. He did not give up a hit until he faced trouble in the fourth inning. Senior Ted Ratliff relieved him in the fifth and three-hit the Crimson over the rest of the game, whiffing 10 in the process.

Offensively, the Eagles (10-20-1) had a productive day, getting to four different Harvard pitchers for six runs on nine hits.

Last year, the Eagles faced Harvard twice and swept the series. On Wednesday, they picked up right where they left off in 2006, and the timing could not have been better: After suffering sweeps to ACC rivals North Carolina and NC State, including losses to UMass and Central Connecticut, Boston College was desperate for a victory.

The Eagles struck early in the top of the first inning, when sophomore Eric Campbell drove in Ryan Hutchinson for the first run of the game. Doyle had a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the second, and the Eagles sent five men to the plate in the top of the next inning but were unable to capitalize on a walk and a hit batsman. Doyle came back to retire the side in the bottom of the third, punctuated by a strikeout to catcher Andrew Casey.

The Crimson elected for a pitching change in the fourth, substituting sophomore Ryan Watson into the game for starter Adam Cole. Watson, who allowed nine batters in the inning, quickly ran into trouble after inducing designated hitter Mike Augustine into a groundout. Senior outfielder Peter Frates lined a single to center field, then stole second base before Jett Ruiz grounded out. Joseph Ayers got a walk out of Watson to keep the Eagles' rally going, then Hutchinson roped a single to right field to score Frates. Mike Belfiore's blooper to right in the next at-bat scored Ayers, and Watson only dug himself deeper when he hit Tony Sanchez to load the bases. Campbell took a walk to bring the Eagles' fourth run home before Jared McGuire grounded out to end the inning.

Unfortunately, Doyle got into some trouble of his own in the bottom of the fourth. He led off the inning with a walk to Jeff Stoeckel, then allowed a double to Brendan Byrne. Junior Matt Vance came up big for the Crimson when he jacked a homerun to bring Harvard within a run. After allowing another double to Steffan Wilson, Doyle settled down to register a pop-out and two strikeouts to end the inning and his afternoon.

Harvard sent senior Jason Brown in to pitch the fifth inning. He allowed a single to Augustine and a successful bunt to Frates before getting three quick outs to end the inning, stranding two Eagles.

Ratliff relieved Doyle to start the fifth inning and registered a quick inning with a first-pitch pop-out and two strikeouts.

The Eagles tacked two more runs onto their lead in the top of the sixth, led off by a misplayed fly ball to right that earned Harvard an error. Belfiore cruised into second base, then Brown retired Sanchez and Campbell before allowing a walk to McGuire. An errant check on McGuire at first that sailed into right field allowed Belfiore to score, and the Eagles got another run when Augustine roped a double to center to score McGuire.

Ratliff registered another 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, which featured two strikeouts. Harvard's Max Warren replaced Brown in the seventh and retired the side in order. Ratliff did the same in the bottom of the inning.

BC managed to get another hit in the top of the eighth but could not produce.

Harvard managed a promising start to the ninth inning, getting to flame-throwing Ratliff for a single to right field, but Ratliff struck out the side to end the game and give the Eagles their first win in five tries.

BC gets back to work on Friday, when they will face Maryland in Chestnut Hill at 7 p.m.