DURHAM, N.C. – Peter Burns’ bad-hop grounder with one out in the 11th inning scored the go-ahead run and lifted Boston College to a 7-5 victory over Clemson in the ACC Tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Tuesday. The Eagles improved to 1-0 in the tournament and 30-26 on the season. The Tigers, who were eliminated from ACC championship contention, fell to 0-1 in the tournament and 33-24 on the season. It was the first ACC Tournament meeting between the two schools.
The Tigers scored an unearned run in the second inning, then Cody Morissette belted a two-run homer in the third inning. Joe Suozzi crushed a solo homer in the fourth inning and Morissette hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, his second long ball of the game. Kyle Wilkie lofted a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, then Brian Dempsey led off the eighth inning with a home run. Sam Hall grounded a two-out single to score Wilkie in the eighth inning, then Michael Green extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a two-run single to tie the score.
With two runners on base and one out in the 11th inning, Burns hit a grounder right at first baseman Chad Fairey, who was unable to field the bad hop, allowing pinch-runner Lucas Stalman to score. Dante Baldelli added a run-scoring single.
Joey Walsh (5-6) pitched the final 3.1 innings to earn the win, while Carson Spiers (2-5) suffered the loss.
The Tigers face No. 1 seed Louisville on Thursday at 11 a.m., on RSN and ACC Network Extra (subject to blackout) in their final ACC Tournament game. Clemson is the designated visiting team and will occupy the first-base dugout.
