No. 14 Virginia Falls to Boston College in Series Opener

BOSTON, Mass.  – Boston College (21-19, 8-14 ACC) limited No. 14 Virginia (31-12, 12-10 ACC) to six hits and won the series opener 8-2 on Thursday (April 25) at Fenway Park. The series returns to Harrington Athletics Village for the final two games on Friday (April 26 – 3 p.m.) and Saturday (April 27 – 1 p.m.). The Cavaliers were first time participants in BC’s 12th Annual ALS Awareness Game.

Three of Virginia’s six hits on the day went for extra bases. Ethan Anderson recorded his 54th career double in the contest, tying him with John Hicks (2009-11) for the third-most in UVA history. Harrison Didawick was 1-for-3 with a run scored first career triple.

Starting pitcher Evan Blanco, a native of Woburn, Mass., pitched into the seventh inning and allowed four runs over six innings of work. The lefthander struck out seven batters and walked two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Boston College never trailed in the contest and led 4-0 after the first six innings. A four-run bottom of the eighth proved to be too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.
• Virginia plated its first run of the night in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Henry Godbout. Didawick, the ACC leader in runs scored, crossed the plate after reaching on his first triple of the season.
• Trailing 8-1 going into the ninth, the Cavaliers pushed another run across on a Henry Ford RBI single through the right side.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia drops to 4-4 in ACC series openers this season.
• Thursday marked Virginia’s first ever regular season game played in an MLB stadium.
• Boston College pitchers issued eight walks in the contest. Virginia is 8-2 this season when earning seven or more walks.
• Ford extended his reached base streak to 35 games with a walk in his first at bat.

UP NEXT

The series shifts back to the campus of Boston College with the final two games played at the Harrington Athletics Village. The Cavaliers will have LHP Owen Coady (1-0) on the mound and he will be opposed by righthander John West. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 3 p.m. on ACCNX.