Perdios' Five RBI Push BC Past NU

The last time the Boston College baseball team played the Northeastern Huskies, they saw their four-run ninth inning lead vanish when the Huskies came from behind to score five runs in the bottom of the ninth and win 12-11. The Eagles made sure that didn’t happen when they played on Tuesday, exacting revenge on Northeastern by dropping them, 12-6. Marc Perdios led the way with five RBIs for the Eagles, as they won their midweek game in a final tune-up before a crucial series at UNC this weekend.

The Beanpot consolation game was originally scheduled to be played at Shea Field, but because of the rain, it was moved to Northeastern’s park and its artificial turf-covered field. So although the Eagles weren’t playing in Chestnut Hill, they were technically the home team in the contest.

Northeastern took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after they capitalized on a two-out error by BC’s third baseman Spenser Payne. After the miscue, Rob Fonseca doubled, driving in the runner from first.

The Huskies tacked on two more runs in the third to make it 3-0. John Puttress walked with two outs, and No. 3 hitter Matt Miller followed with a home run. Eagles starter Steve Green then pitched a scoreless fourth and fifth innings, which featured three strikeouts, giving him a final line of five innings pitched with two earned runs.

The Eagles broke out in a big way in the bottom of the fifth, an inning that ultimately propelled them to victory and gave Green his first win of the season. BC loaded the bases with one out after a walk by Andrew Lawrence, a hit-by-pitch to Nate LaPointe, and a single by Tyler Hinchliffe. Perdios, who is on fire of late, continued his hitting tear with a grand slam that gave the Eagles a 4-3 lead. A month ago, the fifth-year senior was barely playing and his batting average hovered around .210. By the end of Tuesday’s game, Perdios was all the way up to .299.

The Eagles continued to rally after Perdios cleared the bases, as Blake Butera walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Tom Bourdon’s single. After Bourdon swiped second base, he scored on Rob Moir’s double to give BC a 6-3 lead.

Northeastern cut the deficit to one in the top of the sixth. Fonseca singled to right center and later came around to score when DH Jon Leroux hit Northeastern’s second home run of the day. But it wouldn’t stay close for long, as the Eagles struck back in the bottom of the inning.

Payne answered with his fourth home run of the year, and was the first of five consecutive Eagles to reach base. LaPointe followed with a single, Hinchliffe walked, and Perdios singled through the left side to drive in LaPointe for his fifth RBI of the day. Butera then walked to load the bases, and while Bourdon grounded into a double play, it got a run across as BC took a 9-5 lead.

The Huskies got one back in the seventh after leadoff hitter Aaron Barbosa walked and Miller drove him in with a double. But BC put the game away in the bottom of the inning. This time, the Eagles’ first four batters got on base, starting with a Hinchliffe single and Perdios double. After Butera walked to load the bases, Bourdon doubled to center, driving in two runs.

Once Moir hit a sacrifice fly to right to make it 12-6, the game was out of reach. Matt Brazis and Hinchliffe pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings for the Eagles, who brought their record to 20-26.

BC has two ACC series left to attempt to qualify for the league tournament. This weekend’s opponent, UNC, is one of the top teams in the country and will carry a 13-8 ACC record and 30 overall wins into the contests. On the other hand, the Eagles’ final opponent, Duke, is currently last in the ACC standings.

Given the difficult challenge BC faces this weekend, a win or two would also go a long way toward claiming that postseason spot. The Eagles are on a four-game winning streak for the first time all year, and they would like to see it continue.