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Back-to-back RBI doubles by Rafael Lopez and James Ramsey broke a 4-4
tie in the ninth in leading fifth-ranked Florida State (35-12, 15-8 ACC)
to a 6-4 victory over Boston College (27-21, 13-13 ACC) in the first
game of a doubleheader on Shea Field Sunday afternoon.
Sherman Johnson led off the ninth with a single and moved to second on a
sacrifice bunt by Devon Travis. Lopez then laced a 3-2 pitch from BC
reliever Kevin Moran (7-5) to the gap in right center to give FSU the
lead for good. Ramsey drove in an insurance run with an RBI double down
the line in right.
Lopez was one of three Seminoles with three hits in game one as he
finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs
scored and two RBI.
Mike McGee faced the minimum in the ninth to pick up his eighth save of
the season.
The Seminoles hit three home runs in game one as their first four runs
were scored courtesy of the long ball. Lopez and Stuart Tapley both hit
solo shots, while Tyler Holt connected on a two-run home run in the
fifth.
Holt also finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Ramsey registered two
hits in evening the weekend series at a game a piece.
Geoff Parker moved to 2-0 on the year as he worked 3.0 scoreless innings
in relief on Sunday. The junior right hander allowed just one hit and
three walks, while striking out two.
In making his fourth start of the season, Brian Busch worked 5.0 plus
innings in earning the no decision. The West Boca Raton, Fla., native
allowed four runs on six hits as he walked three and struck out a
career-high 10 batters. The 10 strikeouts were the most by a Seminole
pitcher this year and the most since Mike McGee struck out 12 against
Grambling State back on May 16, 2009.
Holt got things started on Sunday with a double to center and took third
with two outs on his 20th stolen base of the season. After a walk to
Tapley, BC starter Pat Dean left runners at the corners as he got Jayce
Boyd swinging on strikes to end the inning.
The Eagles returned the favor leaving runners at the corners in their
half of the first after Busch issued a walk and hit a batter. But the
sophomore southpaw got Matt Watson looking at a called third strike to
keep the game knotted at zero.
Lopez broke the scoreless tie in the second registering his first home
run of the season. The junior catcher, who redshirted his freshman year
at Boston College, took an 0-1 pitch from Dean over the scoreboard in
right to give the Noles an early 1-0 lead.
The lead was short lived as BC scored twice to take a 2-1 lead after two
innings of play. With two runners aboard following a single and a hit by
pitch, Garrett Smith ripped a two-run double to the gap in left center
to give the Eagles their first lead of the afternoon.
The Eagles added to their lead in the third on an RBI single through the
right side by Anthony Melchionda. John Spatola led off the inning with a
double down the right field foul line and scored two batters later on
Melchionda's run scoring single.
The Seminoles tied the game at 3-3 on a two-run shot by Holt in the
fifth. Ramsey started the rally with a two-out base hit through the
right side and Holt followed two pitches later hitting a line drive over
the wall in center for his 10th home run of the season.
Both teams exchanged solo home runs in the sixth as the score remained
tied at 4-4.
Tapley gave FSU its second lead of the afternoon on a solo shot to left.
The Seminole designated hitter took the first pitch he saw from Dean and
sent it out of the park for his seventh home run of the season.
BC drew even as Melchionda took the first pitch from Busch out of the
park to right center. The home run for the Eagle third baseman was his
sixth.
Geoff Parker, who entered in the sixth, got out off a bases loaded jam
in the seventh retiring Melchionda for the first time on Sunday on a fly
out to center. The Eagles loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a hit
by pitch.
The Seminoles got a runner thrown out at the plate in the eighth trying
to convert on an infield single by Boyd. With Stephen Cardullo and
Tapley aboard after drawing a pair of walks from Moran, Boyd hit a
chopper in between the whole at short and third. Brad Zapenas gloved the
ball and threw over to first but not in time to get Boyd. Running on
contact, Cardullo tried to score from second but was thrown out at the
plate on the relay throw from first for the final out of the inning.
BC's Dean also registered a no decision as the junior left hander went
7.0 innings allowing four runs on six hits as he issued a walk and
struck out nine.
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