CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Boston College junior righthander Mike King found out he had just become part of the Miami Marlins organization after the first inning of Saturday’s elimination game against the Miami Hurricanes.
He had gotten out of a two-on, one-out jam with two strikeouts when he returned to the dugout and heard from his teammates that the Marlins had made him a 12th-round pick.
King, trying to get BC to its first College World Series in 49 years, then went out for the second inning and struck out the side.
“It definitely put a smile on my face,” King said of his selection. “It made me a little more relaxed.”
Happy and at ease, King went on to earn a 5-3 win over the Hurricanes to even their best-of-three Super Regional. This was BC’s first-ever win in a Super Regional, a format that began in 1999.
It also was the Eagles’ first win at Mark Light Field since 2010. The Eagles are 2-14 here all time. The teams will play the deciding game of the series on Sunday at noon. The winner advances to the College World Series in Omaha.
Miami, which has won four national titles, most recently in 2001, and will be trying to make its second straight CWS appearance, is a veteran team.
Advertisement
<!– Continue reading below –>
But King did just enough to beat the Hurricanes, although he allowed a massive solo home run to catcher Zack Collins in the top of the fourth inning on a 1-1 pitch that was up in the zone.
“Mike was great today against a lineup that is so good,” BC coach Mike Gambino said. “He made a mistake to Collins. And Collins did what he does with mistakes — he put it off the garage.”
It was the second homer in as many days for Collins, a first-round pick of the White Sox on Thursday who had a three-run blast off BC first-round pick Justin Dunn on Friday night.
This time, though, BC survived Collins’s power show, thanks in part to a rare homer from sophomore right fielder Donovan Casey.
For Casey, it was his first homer of the season and the second of his career. Other BC heroes included Mitch Bigras, who went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Scott Braren, who went 2 for 4 with one RBI.
With BC trailing, 1-0, on the Collins homer, Casey’s solo blast led to a four-run fourth inning, and the Eagles never trailed again.
But Casey’s shot may not have mattered had it not been for King (8-4), who allowed nine hits, four walks, and three runs in six innings, working out of trouble repeatedly and helping the Eagles (35-21) upset No. 3 national seed Miami (49-12).
King said he was “shocked” to hear from the Marlins.
“I hadn’t had a lot of communication from them,” King said. “It’s unbelievable. I’m still in game mode, and haven’t processed it yet.”
BC added another run in the bottom of the eighth and the game was then postponed for nearly three hours because of lightning.
After the delay, Bobby Skogsbergh earned his fourth save, pitching a scoreless ninth that lasted just seven minutes.
Both games this weekend have featured weather delays.
BC’s win featured three Miami runners thrown out on the bases — a pickoff at first, a caught stealing at second, and Collins thrown out at third after a hit.
The Eagles also took advantage of two Miami errors — both during the four-run fourth — and that was a bit unusual. Miami entered the game leading the nation in fielding percentage.
In addition to King, three other BC players were drafted on Saturday. Lefthander Jesse Adams was picked in the 14th round (Reds) and catcher Nick Sciortino was taken in the 17th round (Red Sox). Shortstop Joe Cronin was drafted in the 34th round (Twins).
Adams, Sciortino, and Cronin contributed on Saturday. Adams pitched two scoreless innings, Sciortino picked a runner off first base and threw out a runner attempting to steal second, and Cronin stroked a double and scored a run.
Sunday’s probable starters are BC freshman righthander Jacob Stevens (4-3, 2.14 ERA) and Miami sophomore righthander Jesse Lepore (9-0, 2.20).
It’s possible Lepore, who left last Sunday’s start after just three innings because of shoulder tightness, may not be able to pitch.
