Boston College's Julio Solier hit two solo homers, but a late defensive error and a two-run ninth inning by Liberty handed the Flames a 4-3 victory in Game 1 of the 2026 Athens Regional. The Eagles now face an elimination game.
In the first game of the 2026 Athens Regional , Boston College baseball faced Liberty in a tightly contested matchup that ultimately ended in heartbreak for the Eagles.
BC initially rallied from an early deficit, thanks to two solo home runs from Julio Solier, who had only one homer all season before the NCAA Tournament. Jack Toomey added a third solo shot in the eighth inning to give Boston College a 3-2 lead. Starting pitcher A.J. Colarusso recovered from a rough first inning, allowing two early runs, to deliver six scoreless frames with five strikeouts.
Liberty's starting pitcher, Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Ben Blair, also pitched effectively, yielding only two runs on solo homers by Solier. The game's decisive moment came in the top of the ninth when Liberty mounted a two-run comeback against reliever Gavin Soares. After a leadoff single and a double, a fielder's choice scored one run, and a grounder plated the go-ahead run.
A throwing error on the subsequent play allowed the winning run to score, giving the Flames a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, closer Cooper Harrington hit leadoff batter Johnson, and a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second.
However, Carter Hendrickson and Julio Solier both recorded fly outs, sealing the 4-3 victory for Liberty. The loss drops Boston College to 36-22 overall and 17-13 in ACC play, marking their seventh loss in the last eight games.
As a result, BC must now play an elimination game on Saturday at noon against either No. 3 Georgia or Long Island, depending on the outcome of Friday's contest between those schools. This is Boston College's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2023, when they also lost their opening game at the Tuscaloosa Regional before winning two straight to reach the regional final.
The article was written by Graham Dietz, a 2025 BC graduate and sports journalist who has covered high school sports for The Boston Globe and was a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League
Boston College Baseball Liberty Flames NCAA Tournament Athens Regional Julio Solier Jack Toomey A.J. Colarusso Ben Blair Gavin Soares Cooper Harrington Game 1 Elimination Game Error Home Run NCAA Regional 2026 College Baseball News
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