Virginia Tech Hokies Find their Bats to Outscore Campbell 11-8

If the first game of the two game series was any indication, then the Hokies really needed to find their artillery.  The Fighting Camel offense was pretty potent, yesterday, and Tech's was somnambulant.  Today was a completely different offensive look.  That normally would have been sufficient to produce one of those runaway double digit leads that allowed the Hokies to put the game behind them and get some bench players a bit of field time.  Campbell didn't seem to see it that way.  They still brought their bats, and Tech's defense had some issues finding their gloves, the edges of the strike zone, and sort innings.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Campbell Fighting Camels - Game 2:

Virginia Tech Box Score March 9^th:

Doubles: Maiorana

Triples: Sciretta

Home Runs: Maiorana

RBI: Jenco, Maiorana (3), Stoffel (2), Sciretta, Dauby, Meador (2)

2-out RBI: Maiorana, Sciretta, Dauby

You have to wonder what the "coach talk" was in the clubhouse, last evening and this morning.  Game 2 of the Campbell series was a completely different ball game.  Tech starting pitcher Chris Monaco looked like his hair was on fire for the first inning, he did give up a leadoff single but that was cleaned up with a round the diamond double play and a fly ball.

Tech's first inning was a solid one run effort with Grant Maiorana drawing a walk, and then stealing 2^nd.  Phil Sciretta tripled into left center, and Maiorana scored.  Unfortunately the inning ended before Sciretta got a chance to step on the plate; a strikeout ending the inning.

The top of the second got a touch ugly for the Hokies.  Campbell obviously didn't think too much of Tech's early scoring effort, and scored in a 2 out control hitting effort that shelled Monaco with three singles, two doubles, and four runs scored.  The 4-1 difference threatened to start looking like yesterday's problem.  Except the Tech offense picked Monaco up, and returned the 4 run favor to Campbell in the bottom of the 2^nd.

Andrew Mogg led off the inning with a single, followed by Ryan Tufts.   Matt Dauby walked to load the bases, and Chris Meador singled with an extra bag on the throw to score Mogg and Tufts.  Then Saige Jenco reached first on a fielder's choice scoring Dauby on the contact.  Jenco advanced to second on the throw, and the line continued to move.  Jenco was pulled off third; Logan Bible pinch ran for him.  Tom Stoffel scored Bible on a contact play.  There were some more defensive issues with the Camels, but Tech took the lead 6-4.

Campbell certainly didn't roll over for their part of the 3^rd.  They came up to the plate and tied it up after Monaco lost a bit of control, hit a batter, who was then the first run in the 2 run inning for the Camels.  After a double, a single, and two runs across, Coach Mason pulled Monaco and subbed in the eventual winning pitcher, Ryan Lauria.  He ended the inning with two quick outs, and Tech came out charging in the bottom of the inning.

The third put Tech ahead for the remainder of the game.  Dauby, Meador, and Bible all singled.  Malorana doubled scoring 2, and Stoffel snuck in an RBI grounder to get the lead to 9-6.  Malorana would add that big bat to the total in the bottom of the 5^th inning with a solo tater.  Phil Sciretta would single, and work his way around the bases to score a run in the bottom of the 6^th.  There the Hokies would end up hanging on as Campbell worked to chip away at the lead.

The Fighting Camels worked a mix of a couple of singles, a double and a hit by pitch into 2 runs in the top of the 7^th.   Joey Sullivan finally locked it down for the Fighting Gobblers, and Connor Coward came in to close it out in the top of the 9^th.

Tech splits with Campbell, comes away with a 9-4 record as the ACC season starts against the Hurricanes; who are coming with their Ibis and an attitude on Friday.

GO HOKIES!!!