May 19, 2016
A pair of home runs helps Virginia to ACC-opening win
Saige Jenco scores his 100th career run at Tech and knocks in another in 8-3 loss
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Virginia Tech (19-34) 011100000361
(9) Virginia (34-18) 13000310X8141
  • Davenport Field - 3,832

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A three-run sixth inning by the No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers turned their one-run lead into a four-run advantage and propelled the home team to an 8-3 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies Thursday night at Davenport Field in the opening game of the final ACC baseball series for both teams.

Tech trailed 4-1 after two innings, but used single runs in the third and the fourth to claw back to within a run. Saige Jenco scored in the third on a Tom Stoffel single and then knocked in the other in the fourth with a double, plating Rahiem Cooper.

After a shaky start, Tech’s Kit Scheetz held Virginia scoreless for three frames before surrendering a pair of home runs in that sixth inning. Scheetz dropped his record to 5-6 with the loss, while Virginia starter Connor Jones improved to 11-1 after tossing five innings. Kevin Doherty threw the final four frames to pick up his second save of the year.

How the runs were scored

  • Virginia (34-18, 17-11 ACC) put the game’s first run on the board in the first after loading the bases with nobody out. Pavin Smith hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Ernie Clement, but Scheetz was able to limit the damage to the lone run.
  • Virginia Tech (19-34, 6-22 ACC) tied the game in the top of the second. Phil Sciretta reached on an error, moved to second on Nick Anderson’s single and took third on Sam Fragale’s sacrifice bunt. Andrew Mogg followed with his own sacrifice fly that brought home Sciretta.
  • The Cavaliers answered in the bottom of the second with three runs, as Matt Thaiss provided a key bases-loaded, two-RBI single to put the home squad up 4-1.
  • The Hokies cut their deficit to one after scoring in the third and fourth innings. Stoffel hit an RBI single that scored Jenco, who walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, in the third and Jenco’s RBI double in the fourth brought in Cooper to make it 4-3.
  • Virginia put another three runs on the board in the sixth, using a solo home run by Cameron Simmons and a two-run shot by Thaiss to push their advantage to 7-3. They added a Simmons’ RBI single in the seventh to build a five-run lead.

Inside the box score

  • Jenco: 2 hits, 16th multi-hit game of the season, 52nd of his career; stolen base, 11th of the season, 41st of his career; walk, team-leading 39th of the season, 101st of his career; run, 33rd of the season, the 100th of his Tech career, 7 putouts, tied a career-high (now done four times).
  • Tufts: 2 walks, tied career-high (now done six times).
  • Sciretta: 2 hits, 21st multi-hit game of the season, 39th of his career; leads team with 69 hits.
  • Hudson: 2 walks, tied career-high (now done twice).
  • Scheetz: 30th career start on the mound for Tech.

Up next

The final regular season ACC series for both schools continues with Game 2 on Friday at Davenport Field with a new start time. The contest is now scheduled for 1 p.m. first pitch due to rain that is expected in the area tomorrow evening.

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