Not only did Boston College come into South Bend and beat Notre Dame by a 7-4 margin in Friday's three-game series opener at Frank Eck Stadium. The Eagles, in just their fourth ACC victory of the season, did so by knocking around Irish ace pitcher John Michael Bertrand and tagging him with his first loss of the season.
Boston College jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Bertrand in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run by Barry Walsh and a three-run homer by Cameron Leary. The Irish scratched out a run in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single by second baseman Jared Miller.
The Eagles knocked the left-handed Bertrand out of the game in the fifth inning. Bertrand hit Sam McNulty and allowed a double to Walsh to start the inning. That's when coach Link Jarrett replaced Bertrand with righty Roman Kimball.
Kimball couldn't get the Irish out of the jam. Bertrand's two runners scored on an RBI single by Travis Honeyman and an RBI double by Joe Vetrano. Then an error by Miller allowed a third run to score in the inning.
The Irish threatened to cut into the lead in the sixth inning, but Miller grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning. Notre Dame rallied with three runs in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI single by catcher David LaManna, a balk that scored designated hitter Nick Juaire and an RBI sacrifice fly by third baseman Jack Brannigan. But the rally died with two runners left on base when center fielder Ryan Cole and right fielder Brooks Coetzee III struck out.
Bertrand (6-1) allowed six runs on six hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Bertrand hadn't given up more than three earned runs in his first nine starts this season.
Notre Dame managed to tally 10 hits off Boston College starter Joe Mancini (3-3), but he only surrendered one run in seven innings of work.
Right hander Austin Temple (3-1, 3.03 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound Saturday for Notre Dame (26-10, 11-8 ACC). Righty Henry Leake will start for Boston College (17-26, 4-18).
BOX SCORE
Boston College jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Bertrand in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run by Barry Walsh and a three-run homer by Cameron Leary. The Irish scratched out a run in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single by second baseman Jared Miller.
The Eagles knocked the left-handed Bertrand out of the game in the fifth inning. Bertrand hit Sam McNulty and allowed a double to Walsh to start the inning. That's when coach Link Jarrett replaced Bertrand with righty Roman Kimball.
Kimball couldn't get the Irish out of the jam. Bertrand's two runners scored on an RBI single by Travis Honeyman and an RBI double by Joe Vetrano. Then an error by Miller allowed a third run to score in the inning.
The Irish threatened to cut into the lead in the sixth inning, but Miller grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning. Notre Dame rallied with three runs in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI single by catcher David LaManna, a balk that scored designated hitter Nick Juaire and an RBI sacrifice fly by third baseman Jack Brannigan. But the rally died with two runners left on base when center fielder Ryan Cole and right fielder Brooks Coetzee III struck out.
Bertrand (6-1) allowed six runs on six hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Bertrand hadn't given up more than three earned runs in his first nine starts this season.
Notre Dame managed to tally 10 hits off Boston College starter Joe Mancini (3-3), but he only surrendered one run in seven innings of work.
Right hander Austin Temple (3-1, 3.03 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound Saturday for Notre Dame (26-10, 11-8 ACC). Righty Henry Leake will start for Boston College (17-26, 4-18).
BOX SCORE
