BC’s not-so-great sports weekend
By Joe Micik
Let’s dive right in with the bad news:
Friday: Baseball gags up season opener at #18 Coastal Carolina. It had the makings of what would be a solid win to start the 2011 campaign, but BC’s new coach, Mike Gambino, started his Eagles career with a loss. BC trailed in the game 5-2 going into the top of the 7th, but a few bases-loaded walks and timely hits later, the Eagles led 6-5. Closer Matt Brazis, who was very good last year, could not hold the lead and ended up giving up a 3-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. BC lost 9-6.
Friday: Hockey ties Northeastern, 7-7. For the first time all year, the Eagles ended up in a tie, but what was more alarming about this game is how the Huskies were again able to score at will on the BC defense and goaltenders. Between this game and the Beanpot, Northeastern managed 13 goals on the Eagles’ normally very good defense.
Saturday: Basketball loses a heartbreaker to North Carolina. The offensively-challenged Eagles may have been down big in the second half, but they fought their way back to within two points of the Tar Heels at the Dean Dome, with the ball at the end of regulation. Reggie Jackson is getting ready to take a shot which could win the game for BC and give them a second signature win. Jackson puts it up, it goes in the rim, and gets spit back out, as BC loses 48-46. The loss puts BC on the borderline for the NCAA Tournament and makes it necessary for BC to have to finish the season very strong, and advance beyond Day 1 in the ACC Tournament.
Saturday: Hockey loses to Northeastern, 2-1. BC might have gotten the Beanpot over the Huskies, but that’s about all since. The Eagles went a few miles into the city and came home with zero Hockey East points. At least they did a better job in limiting Northeastern’s scoring. As a result, the Eagles are now once again two points behind New Hampshire in the conference.
Now here’s the good news:
Saturday & Sunday: BC baseball rebounds with consecutive wins. The first game might not have gone well, but the next two did. The Eagles beat Indiana on Saturday 6-1 and Tennessee Tech on Sunday by the same score. BC will head into their series with #1 Florida (with an exhibition against the Red Sox in between games) at 2-1.
Saturday & Sunday: Women’s hockey ties, then beats UNH. The regular season will end just fine for the BC ladies, as they skated to a 0-0 tie with the Wildcats, and then beat them 2-1 the next day. BC is the 2-seed in the Hockey East Tournament and, according to the rules, get a first-round bye in the six-team field. They will next play in the March 5th semifinals.
Sunday: Women’s basketball bombs Virginia, 73-50. The Eagles made quick work of the home team Cavaliers, running out to a 20-zip lead before the Wahoos got on the board. It doesn’t appear there will be too much more basketball for them, unless they make a great end-season run, but I wish the men were winning games like that.