Boston College Baseball's Recent Offensive Output Illuminates Stark Reality of Interdonato's System

The Eagles have been outscored 46-5 in their last four games.

Boston College baseball (@bcbirdball) via Instagram.

It’s quite obvious by now that Boston College baseball’s offensive system is in somewhat of a rut, and that’s putting it lightly.

Since the Eagles’ 6-3 win over NJIT on May 10 to split their series with the Highlanders, the offense has generated only five runs in four games played on 16 total hits — one in BC’s series opener against Georgia Tech on May 14, and five per game in the rest of that series in addition to its ACC Tournament quarterfinals loss to Miami on Thursday.

Just five of the 16 were extra-base hits, and only one of them was a homer.

The pitching is a separate issue — albeit one that could more so reflect the strength of BC’s last two opponents as opposed to a sign of poor execution from the staff — but this current ice-cold streak at the plate is especially worrisome because the reason is systemic, and head coach Todd Interdonato knows it.

“I know everybody kind of waits for the big swing or the big hit or somebody clearing the bases with a double, [but]  that’s never been my way of thinking,” said Interdonato after the Eagles fell to Miami. “My way of thinking is can you string two, three, four really good plate appearances together? And to me, I feel like that’s just what we’re missing, right?”

The Eagles’ attack method is predicated on a system that requires getting the leadoff man, or at least the second batter if the first one gets out, on base, and that’s because stealing and small ball — utilizing bunts, drawing walks, and hoping for as many HBPs (hit by pitch) as possible — is Interdonato’s style of play.

In any given inning, if the first or second batter does not reach base in some capacity, the offense is put at a major disadvantage, and the trend of that not occuring throughout the last four games proves there is a direct correlation there.

In the last four games, BC’s leadoff batter has reached base only seven times out of 34 attempts, doing so with three hits, three walks, and one HBP. In the first game of that span alone, a 9-0 loss to the Yellow Jackets, the Eagles did not have a single leadoff batter reach base.

“Our offense is predicated on aggressiveness,” Interdonato said. “It’s predicated on creating a rhythm, putting pressure on people. So in order for us to play at our best, we need three, four, five good plate appearances in a row. One swing, you know, one home run, one bases-clearing double,that’s not who we are. We are really good one through nine, and that’s when we’re at our best.”

There isn’t necessarily a special formula for getting the leadoff man on — some players are just better in that part of the order because of factors like speed and hitting style — but if the Eagles continue to malfunction in this very particular realm, scoring plentifully is simply not possible for them.

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