RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 15: The Boston College Eagles first base coach runs to his box during the college baseball game between the Boston College Eagles and the NC State Wolfpack on March 15, 2026 at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Boston College baseball is headed to Athens, Georgia this weekend for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. It’s the program’s 13th appearance and first since 2023, and by any reasonable measure, this team had the best regular season in program history to get there. They finished 36-21 overall and earned a 2-seed in the Athens Regional, which is hosted by No. 3 overall seed Georgia. The path out isn’t easy, but it exists.

How BC Got Here

The big number is 17. BC went 17-13 in ACC play this year, the most conference wins in program history, and the ACC this season was no joke. They won at then-No. 6 North Carolina, at then-No. 10 NC State, twice at then-No. 24 Miami, and at Clemson. For a program that was picked to finish last in the ACC coaches poll in January, this season has been remarkable.

What makes BC go is speed and situational hitting, not the long ball. They lead the ACC in triples and are one of the top stolen base teams in the country. Julio Solier has been outstanding at the top of the order all year, Luke Gallo has been a revelation as a freshman, and Nick Wang provides the most power threat in the middle. This lineup works best when it’s moving, pressing pitchers, and manufacturing runs rather than waiting on the three-run homer.

The last few weeks were rough, though. BC lost four straight to end the regular season, getting swept at home by Georgia Tech and then falling to Miami in the ACC Tournament. Toomey and Hendrickson missed time during that stretch, the offense went quiet, and the team dropped significantly in the seed projections as a result. Both are back now, and BC will need them.

The Field

No. 1 Seed: Georgia (46-12)

Georgia won the SEC regular season title, the SEC Tournament, and enters the regional as the No. 3 overall seed in the country. They lead all of Division I in home runs, score over nine runs a game, and have won 14 of their last 15. Playing them at home at Foley Field, in front of a crowd that will be loud all weekend, is about as tough a draw as you can get in a regional.

Catcher Daniel Jackson is the best player in this regional by a wide margin and probably one of the best players in the country. He hit .391 this season with 27 home runs and 25 stolen bases, becoming the first catcher in college baseball history to post a 25/25 season. He’s a finalist for every major award in the sport. Beyond Jackson, they have a loaded lineup top to bottom, a deep rotation, and a bullpen that can close games out. The Bulldogs are the real deal.

The one silver lining for BC is the bracket setup. Georgia is expected to throw their ace, Joey Volchko, against Long Island on Friday night, which means BC could avoid him entirely if they win their opener. They’d still need to beat Georgia twice to get out, which is no small thing, but at least they won’t be seeing the Bulldogs’ best pitcher fresh in a potential Saturday showdown.

No. 3 Seed: Liberty (41-19)

Liberty won 11 of 14 weekend series in Conference USA this season and their RPI sits at 32, two spots above BC’s. Don’t pencil this one in.

Ben Blair is their ace and he’s been exceptional. He’s the CUSA Pitcher of the Year, landed on the Golden Spikes Award midseason watch list, and has walked just 17 batters across his entire season. He fires from a low-three-quarters, near-sidearm arm slot with a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s and a sweeping slider that gives right-handed hitters real problems. Both Georgia’s Wes Johnson and Interdonato singled him out this week as one of the best starting pitchers in the country.

Shortstop Tanner Marsh won both CUSA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and is the engine of their lineup. They also have power threats in the middle of the order in Barone and Campos.

One thing worth noting: Liberty hasn’t been to an NCAA Regional since before most of this roster was on campus. Blair walked five batters in the CUSA Tournament opener before settling in, which could be nerves or could be nothing. Athens is going to be a much bigger stage than anything the Flames have played on this year.

No. 4 Seed: Long Island (30-20)

LIU won the NEC championship for the third time in five years and has scored 10 or more runs in six straight games, including a 22-8 win in the title game. They’re a clear four seed, but they can hit and they’ve been on a roll heading into the weekend.

Game 1: BC vs. Liberty

AJ Colarusso gets the ball for BC on Friday. Going left-handed against a Liberty lineup that struggles more against southpaws is smart, and Colarusso has the experience to handle a big moment. The concern is his ERA over his last six starts has been over 6, and that trend needs to reverse in a hurry. When he’s sharp, he’s moving the ball around, keeping hitters off balance, and getting the third strike when he needs it. When he’s not, hitters sit on his mistakes and make him pay. The longer he stays in this game, the better off BC is for the rest of the weekend.

Blair presents a real problem for BC’s offense. He throws strikes relentlessly, so the usual approach of grinding deep into counts to tire out a starter probably won’t work the way it does against most arms. The key is that Blair’s numbers get worse when he falls behind in the count, and when baserunners are on. That’s where BC has to find an angle — getting on early through any means necessary, bunting for hits, stealing bases, making him think about the running game while he’s trying to pitch. BC is one of the best stolen base teams in the country and they need to use that identity on Friday. He walked five guys in the CUSA Tournament opener, so there’s evidence the big stage can get to him a little. Whether that carries over to Athens or was just a one-time blip is one of the more interesting questions of the weekend.

The Path Forward

The bracket is straightforward. BC and Liberty play at noon, Georgia and LIU play at 5 p.m. Win Friday and you’re in the winner’s bracket against Georgia on Saturday. Lose and you fall into an elimination game Saturday morning. Three wins over the weekend gets you to a Super Regional.

BC needs to beat Liberty and then find a way to get through Saturday, one way or another. Beating Georgia twice is a tall order against a team this good on their home field, but BC won at North Carolina this season and nobody expected that either. Georgia should win this regional — they’re the better team by a meaningful margin — but the bracket can be navigated if BC takes care of Day 1.

Beat Liberty on Friday. Stay alive. See what happens.

Athens Regional Schedule

Friday, May 29: Game 1 — No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Liberty, 12:06 p.m. ET (ESPN+) Game 2 — No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Long Island, 5:06 p.m. ET (ESPN+/SEC Network)

Saturday, May 30: Game 3 — Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, Noon Game 4 — Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 5 p.m.

Sunday, May 31: Game 5 — Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, Noon Game 6 — Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 5 p.m.

Monday, June 1: Game 7 (if necessary) — TBD

Double elimination. Three wins to advance to the Super Regional.

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