A Tip Of The Cap

A throwing error by Harvard shortstop Jeff Reynolds was all the Boston College baseball team needed.

Down by one with two outs in the fifth, Mickey Wiswall ripped a ground ball to Reynolds. The Crimson shortstop misfired the throw to first base, allowing Robby Anston to score from second and continue to inning.

With the game now tied at two, Wiswall, who drove in the seventh run in the sixth, stole second to put a runner in scoring position for right fielder John Spatola. The captain took advantage, knocking a single into left center to score Wiswall. 

After Matt Watson drew a walk, Anthony Melchionda sent another single into left field, pushing Spatola across home plate, and Mike Sudol finished the scoring output with another single, putting the Eagles (26-20) up 6-3.

A committee of Hunter Gordon, Kevin Moran, and Matt Brazis pitched nearly perfect ball for the final four innings, allowing only one hit and no runs.

Harvard (17-26) jumped out of the gate to take an early 1-0 lead after the top half of the first inning. Dillon O'Neill led off with a single before stealing second and third. BC starter Dane Clemens nearly got out of the jam, but Tyler Albright roped a single to center field to plate a run.

The Eagles responded with the bat of Spatola, who singled home Matt Hamlet from second. It stayed that way until Spatola launched a solo home run over the right-field fence in the bottom of the third.

Harvard took back the lead in the top half of the fifth after Clemens yielded back-to-back singles. Gordon entered the game for the senior starter, immediately throwing a wild pitch to move over the runners. Two straight groundouts to second base brought the runners home, giving the Crimson a 3-2 lead.

Thanks to some timely hitting and a commitment to sharp line drives, the Eagles regained the lead and enter this weekend's series against No. 5 Florida State on a two-game win streak.