It was the top of the eighth inning at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C. With a 3-2 count and two outs, Boston College baseball first baseman Jack Cunningham stood on second base, and designated hitter Joe Vetrano lined up at the plate. Charleston Southern left-hander Hunter McIntosh delivered a pitch, and Vetrano doubled to left center to bring Cunningham in for the Eagles’ 10th run of the game, marking the third straight game they had scored in double digits.
With Sunday’s high-flying offense, BC (3-0) swept the Buccaneers (0-3) in its three-game season-opening road series by a final score of 10-2, bringing the series’ total runs scored to a staggering 34-7 in favor of the Eagles.
BC’s pitching staff features a one-two punch with a pair of juniors in Mason Pelio and Emmet Sheehan, both of whom had strong outings in the Eagles’ opening day doubleheader. Two-way freshman Vetrano, who boasts a low-90s fastball as well as a solid slider and changeup, got the starting nod on Sunday.
Vetrano threw two solid innings on just 30 pitches, giving up just one unearned run on no hits, two strikeouts, and one walk before Alex Stiegler relieved him. Stiegler picked up the win in four innings of shutout relief.
Offensively, Vetrano went 2-for-4 with a single, double, walk, stolen base, and an RBI. He also came in to score in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk by Chris Galland.
The game began with a leadoff walk of Galland, followed by center fielder Sal Frelick doubling down the left-field line to drive in Galland and put the Eagles on the board in the top of the first.
Frelick later singled up the middle to knock in right fielder Dante Baldelli, kicking off a four-run third inning. Charleston Southern freshman pitcher Daniel Padysak walked Cunningham with the bases loaded to bring in Galland. Luke Gold’s two-run single into left field to score both Frelick and shortstop Brian Dempsey finished off the third-inning rally.
Miscues played a key role in Sunday’s game, with a total of four defensive errors between the two squads. The Buccaneers’ first run of the game came unearned, as Charleston Southern shortstop Tyrell Brewer advanced to second base on a throwing error by Vetrano in the bottom of the first. Brewer came around to score that inning on a fielder’s choice. Charleston Southern also booted the ball three times, resulting in two unearned runs for BC.
Charleston Southern scraped together another run in the bottom of the ninth as the Eagles began to empty out their lineup with substitutes. Dante Blakeney came in to pinch hit and singled up the middle off of BC’s Max Gieg to bring home catcher Christian Maggio for their second run of the ballgame.
Although both teams were evenly matched in hits at nine apiece, the Eagles were patient at the plate and capitalized on the Bucs’ inability to consistently throw strikes and field the ball cleanly. A strong collegiate debut by Vetrano, timely hitting by Frelick and Gold, table setting by Galland, and BC’s ability to pitch out of jams and strand runners on base were the decisive factors in today’s lopsided victory.
Featured Image by Jonathan Ye / Heights Senior Staff
