Boston College Baseball Midweek Preview - UMass Lowell & Bryant

After being swept by Florida State over the weekend, including in the seventh Annual ALS Awareness Game at Fenway Park, the Boston College baseball team returns to action this week with a pair of games against regional opponents UMass Lowell and Bryant. This will be the first and only meeting of the season between the Eagles and River Hawks and the second match-up between BC and Bryant.

Game Locations:

Tuesday: LeLacheur Park, Lowell, MA
Wednesday: Harrington Athletics Village at Brighton Field, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

Game Times:

Tuesday, April 24th @ 4pm ET vs. UMass Lowell
Wednesday, April 25th @ 4pm ET vs. Bryant

Probable Starters:

Tues: BC: TBA vs. UML: TBA
Wed: BC: TBA vs. BU: TBA

How to Watch/Listen:

Both contests this week will be covered on GameTracker, with Wednesday’s home match-up versus the Bulldogs also broadcast online via WZBC Radio. Links to both options can be found on the schedule page of Boston College baseball at BCEagles.com.

What you should know about the UMass Lowell River Hawks:

Now in his 14th season at the helm of the UMass Lowell baseball program, Ken Harring brings his River Hawks team into Tuesday’s contest with an overall record of 17-19, including an 8-7 mark in the America East Conference. Since joining the Division I ranks in 2014, UMass Lowell is 0-2 against Boston College, with 2016’s contest cancelled due to inclement weather.

UML has not announced a starter for Tuesday’s game, but as a team the River Hawks throw the ball decently well. Though their team ERA sits at 5.45, they do boast an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio, having fanned 310 batters in 305.2 innings pitched, while walking only 199. They average just about a strikeout per inning and are holding opposing lineups to a .255 batting average.

Offensively, UMass Lowell is batting .247 as a club and feature two everyday players over the .300 mark. Leading the way is All-America East candidate Russ Olive. The junior infielder leads his team in most offensive categories as he is batting .380 on the season, with ten doubles, two triples, ten home runs and 27 RBI. Behind Olive is senior Colby Miaola who is hitting .310 on the year with seven doubles, a pair of triples, five home runs and 28 RBI. Rounding out the top three is junior Steve Passatempo. The first baseman is batting .283 for the season, while belting six doubles, a triple, six homers, and 20 RBI.

What you should know about the Bryant University Bulldogs:

In his eighth season as the head baseball coach at Bryant University, Steven Owens again has his team in contention for the NEC title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, as they enter Wednesday’s contest with an overall record of 22-15-1 and a 13-5 mark in conference. The Bulldogs will take on Rhode Island on Tuesday before playing Boston College on Wednesday.

Like UML, Bryant has yet to announce a starter for Wednesdays’s match-up, but expect whoever the Bulldogs throw to be a challenge for BC. As a club, Bryant sports a 4.86 ERA and averages nearly eight strikeouts per nine innings. They have also struck out 279 batters and allowed only 15 home runs on the season in 318.2 innings pitched.

Offensively, Bryant is sixth nationally in batting average, as they’re hitting .314 as a unit. Leading that charge is All-American candidate and the fourth leading hitter in the nation Ryan Ward. Only a redshirt freshman, Ward has put together a monster campaign so far this season, as the outfielder is batting at a .432 clip with 19 doubles, five triples, seven home runs, and 39 RBI. Behind Ward is sophomore outfielder James Ciliento who is batting .369, with 12 doubles, three homers, and 22 runs batted in. Senior catcher Mickey Gasper has also rounded into form this year, as he is currently hitting .349, with 11 doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 29 RBI.

What you should know about the Boston College Eagles:

Though the season to-date has not gone the way head coach Mike Gambino and his Boston College baseball team have wanted, the prospect of beating two regional opponents, including one that already walked them off this season, should be enough to get the team excited to play this week before hitting the road for Notre Dame on Thursday.

Although it has yet to be announced who is pitching which day this week, it’s a good bet that the Eagles will feature junior right-hander Jack Nelson and sophomore righty Matt Gill on the mound. Nelson, now is his second season of starting midweek games for the Eagles, has amassed a 1-1 record and a 5.01 ERA in four starts on the year, while holding opponents to a .267 average in 23.1 innings pitched. Gill comes into the week with an identical 1-1 record, but has accumulated a 3.82 ERA in five starts.

Offensively, Boston College is batting .248 through 39 games this season and features three everyday players above the .300 mark. Freshman Chris Galland leads the way with a .331 batting average in 34 starts this season. He’s also added ten extra base hits and 14 RBI, along with 26 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Behind Galland is senior co-captain Jake Palomaki. The Eagles shortstop is batting .329 on the year, with 13 doubles, two triples, three homers, and 26 RBI. Perhaps the steadiest offensive performer this season for BC has been Brian Dempsey, who enters the week with a .313 average, three doubles, and 14 RBI.

Prediction:

Sitting at 13-26 overall, and 5-16 in the ACC, entering the last full week of April, BC’s prospects of making the postseason in 2018 have all but disappeared. Granted, they could still go on a a run in conference and sneak into the ACC Tournament, but it’s likely, given their remaining opponents, that their season will end after the final game in Miami on May 19th. I could be wrong and I really hope I am, but we’ll see. The reason I’m leading off the prediction with that is because I believe this week will be an indication of the character of this team. Will they come to play in both games, even with that backdrop? I think BC matches up well with UMass Lowell, which has struggled to put up runs at different points this season. However, Bryant will be a challenge. When the two teams met in early March in Cary, NC, the Bulldogs were 0-7 before they walked BC off in the bottom of the ninth for a 9-8 win. Since that time, they’ve gone 21-8-1 and have put up ridiculous numbers at the plate. That’s not to say Boston College cannot beat them, just that it will be a challenge to keep their lineup in check. Look for BC to earn the split this week before heading to South Bend to take on the Irish.