Commonwealth Clash Baseball point still up for grabs

Hokies and Cavaliers split Friday's doubleheader setting up rubber match Sunday

April 6, 2018

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – After dropping the first game 9-0, the Virginia Tech baseball team battle back-and-forth with the host Virginia Cavaliers in the nightcap, with the Hokies’ final run in the ninth being the deciding factor. Tech notched a 5-4 win in the second game to split the day’s doubleheader in ACC action at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park Friday night.

Nick Menken, who went 2-for-3 with a walk in Game 2 and stole two bases, was on third with one out in the top of the ninth of a 4-4 contest. Virginia pulled its infield in and despite that; Jack Owens delivered a perfect bunt to score Menken with the go-ahead run.

Graham Seitz surrendered a one-out walk in the home half of the frame, but got the final two outs to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Tech (13-16, 6-8 ACC) scored the game’s first run in the third with Nick Owens scoring Menken with an RBI single, but trailed 2-1 after four. The Hokies tied the game in both the fifth, on an RBI single by Jack Owens that scored Stevie Mangrum, and again in the seventh with an RBI single by Mangrum that plated Menken.

In the eighth, Tech made Virginia pay for a leadoff walk to Tom Stoffel as he came around to score on Joe Freiday, Jr.'s RBI single. However, the Cavaliers answered back, this time with an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth, before Tech got its game winner in the ninth.

Virginia (17-14, 5-9 ACC) won the first game thanks in part to Derek Casey’s complete-game effort. He scattered three hits, struck out seven and his defense turned three double plays behind him.

The Tech-UVA baseball series is presented by Virginia529, the official college savings plan of Virginia Tech Athletics and the University of Virginia Athletics. The score for the “Commonwealth Clash" is still 7.5-4.5 in favor of Virginia Tech. Learn more about Virginia529 and this competition at www.thecommonwealthclash.com.

Inside the Box – Game 1

• Sam Fragale – started his 100th straight game for the Hokies, the longest streak since Ryan Tufts (2014-17) started the last 127 games of his Tech career.
• Ryan Okuda – two scoreless innings pitched, 11 for the season; three strikeouts, most in an ACC game for him this season.

Inside the Box – Game 2

• Freiday – stolen base, second of the season and his career.
• Mangrum – two hits, first multi-hit game of the season, sixth of his career.
• Andrew McDonald – two scoreless innings, 19 for the season, 73 for his career; one was perfect, five this season, 30 in his career.
• Menken – three runs, first career multi-run scoring game; two hits, fifth multi-hit game of the season; double, third of the season; two stolen bases, five for the season; also had an outfield assist, his team-leading second of the season.
• J. Owens – two RBI, fourth multi-RBI game of the season, 10th of his career; team-lead with three game-winning RBI this season, five in his career.
• N. Owens – two hits, seventh multi-hit game of the season.
• Luke Scherzer – two scoreless innings pitched, seven for the season, 60 in his career; one was perfect, three this season, 21 in his career.
• Seitz – 1.2 innings pitched, pushing a scoreless innings pitch streak to 8.1 straight; has eight scoreless innings this season, 12 in his career.
• Joey Sullivan – one perfect frame, five for the season, 26 for his career; 12 scoreless innings this season, 75 in his career.

Additional Notes

• Tech and UVA have now faced each other 186 times, with the Cavaliers holding a 100-86 edge in the all-time series.
• Tech ended a nine-game losing streak in Charlottesville with the nightcap win – the Hokies last won here on March 9, 2012 (10-8) in 11 innings. All-time UVA is 17-3 at home in ACC games against Tech.
• The Hokies have already won three road ACC games this season, tied for the second most since 2013. Since then Tech has gone 3-12 (2014), 4-11 (2015), 2-13 (2016) and 1-14 (2017).
• This was Tech’s 25th ACC doubleheader in program history and they are now 2-8-15 in those, including eight splits on the road (0-5-8). This is their third ACC DH this season and fourth overall and they’ve split all four.

Up Next

• Tech will stay in Charlottesville for an off day before heading back to the field on Sunday to resume the ACC series with Virginia. First pitch of the rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Tickets

• Next weekend, Tech will host Louisville in an ACC three-game series. For those fans looking to attend any of those or any upcoming ACC games, please be aware tickets are required for ACC games at English Field at Union Park. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets in advance.

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