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Virginia Tech Hokies Walk off Pitt in Game 1: 5 - 4!

The Hokies recover from Wednesday by putting up a Walk Off 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Getting a Win in Game 1 is good.
Getting a Win in Game 1 is good.
Picture Courtesy of Dave Knachel - Virginia Tech Athletics

English Field at Union Park (aka Home) was a happy and exciting place this evening.  Kit Sheetz pitched a decent game, the Hokies developed some very needed and timely offense; especially in the bottom of the 9th inning.  Virginia Tech wins the first game of this weekend's series with Pitt 5-4.

Virginia Tech Hokies vs Pittsburgh Panthers:  Game 1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

R

H

E

Pittsburgh (15-14, 6-9)

0

1

0

2

0

0

0

0

1

4

7

1

Virginia Tech (12-23, 3-13)

1

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

1

5

16

1

W: Cole Kragel (2-0)    L: Tyler Garbee (0-2)

Virginia Tech Hokies Box Score April 15th:B

R

H

RBI

BB

SO

PO

A

LOB

Saige Jenco CF

5

2

2

1

0

1

3

0

1

Tom Stoffel DH

4

0

2

3

1

0

0

0

0

Phil Sciretta 1B

5

1

3

0

0

1

9

0

0

Nick Anderson LF

5

0

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

Sam Fragale 3B

5

0

1

0

0

0

2

0

7

Joe Freiday, Jr. C

5

0

1

1

0

0

5

1

1

Ryan Tufts SS

3

1

0

0

1

0

4

4

0

Matt Dauby 2B

3

1

1

0

0

1

1

2

0

Rahiem Cooper RF

4

0

1

0

0

0

2

0

0

Kit Scheetz P

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

4

0

Cole Kragel P

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Totals

39

5

16

5

2

3

27

11

9

Doubles: Jenco, S.

RBI: Jenco, Stoffel (3), Freiday

Clutch RBI: Jenco, Stoffel (2)

Pitt came into Blacksburg with a 15-13 record, with a 6-8 ACC record they were much better off than the Hokies.  They are fielding a shade better talent than we are, and they were anticipating a good game from Jenco and Sciretta.  Pitt's write up really points out what they were concerned about, and eventually what gave them problems.

Tech's first big break came in the bottom of the 4th.  With Pitt up 3-1, Ryan Tufts worked a one out walk.  The Matt Dauby cracked a single to left field, putting Tufts in scoring position.  Saige Jenco came up with two outs and rapped a single and Tufts scored on an error charged to the Pitt catcher.  Pitt saw fit to change pitchers as the score narrowed, but Tom Stoffel singled, bringing home both Tufts and Jenco which put Tech ahead, 4-3, for the balance of the remainder of the game.

The drama didn't stop there, though.  As is always the case with baseball a great "Yogi-ism" made its fundamental truth felt in the 9th.  Pitt tied the game in a scrambling manufactured single run after a single was pushed to scoring position by a bunt sacrifice; and then brought home with a single.  The tie also brought out Cole Kragel to try to lock down the inning and give Tech a chance to end it in the bottom of the 9th.

And end it, they did, today.  After a pop out, Sciretta singled. Then Anderson singled.  Fragale singled to load the bases.  With 1 out on the board, all Tech needed was a deep fly ball.  The Hokies didn't get that, though. Joe Freiday, Jr. stepped to the plate, and instead of being the "Mighty Casey" he did everyone one better.  He singled straight up the middle, scoring Sciretta from third, and ending the game with a nifty 9th inning walk-off.

I wonder who wore the bucket o'filth; Sciretta or Freiday?   Maybe there was some for both of them.  This is the 2nd Hokie walk off win this season.  Cole Kragel gets the credit for the win, but Kit Sheetz's ND doesn't feel so bad when it's a W in the books.

The first pitch for Saturday's game is at 1:00 at Union Park.

GO HOKIES!!!