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Hokies go to 2-0 with a Late Inning 9-8 Squeaker over USCU Spartans

The Virginia Tech Hokie Baseball team opens the season with a 2-0 record. It took a late Inning 9-8 Squeaker in Game 2 against the USCU Spartans. Kit Sheetz gets the win. Too bad Jack Owens can’t get the save with his bat.

Pitching...
Dave Knachel - Virginia Tech Athletics

Well it was Sam Fragale yesterday; now Jack Owens and Tom Stoffel step up with some small ball and bunts a single for a critical go ahead run in the 8th scoring Jack Owens who had opened the inning with a monster triple.

All of that excitement was preceded by Tech jumping out to a big 7 runs to 1 lead in by the top of the 2nd inning. The Spartans didn’t seem to take that as a hint that the game was over, and roared back in the bottom of the 2nd with four runs of their own, chopping the lead to a mere two runs. Tech’s offense stalled out for the next two innings while USCU hung three runs on us in the bottom of the third. Tech tied it back up with a manufactured run in the top of the 5th by Stevie Mangrum after his double and a single by Jack Owens.

There the score would remain until Jack Owens drove that triple up the 1st base side, and Tom Stoffel bunted him home.

Kit Sheetz would eventually get the win, with Aaron McGarity getting credit for the 1.2 inning save. McGarity had a scare and some control problems but was bailed out by a smart 4-5-3 double play.

Game 2: Hokies vs Spartans

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

R

H

E

Virginia Tech (2-0)

2

5

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

9

11

5

USC Upstate (0-2)

1

4

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

13

2

Win: Kit Scheetz (1-0)  Loss: WHITNEY, Blake (0-1) Save: Aaron McGarity (1)

Virginia Tech:  http://www.hokiesports.com/baseball/stats/showstats.html?19364

AB

R

H

RBI

BB

SO

PO

A

LOB

Rahiem Cooper CF

4

0

0

1

0

3

2

0

2

Ryan Tufts SS

2

2

2

0

2

0

1

3

0

Tom Stoffel RF

4

1

2

2

0

0

3

0

0

Nick Anderson DH

5

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

Sam Fragale 1B

4

0

1

2

1

1

8

0

1

Stevie Mangrum LF

5

1

2

1

0

3

0

0

1

Mac Caples LF

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Joe Freiday, Jr. C

5

1

1

0

0

3

9

3

2

Matt Dauby 2B

3

1

0

0

1

2

3

1

0

Jack Owens 3B

4

2

3

1

0

0

1

1

0

Garrett Hudson 3B

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Joey Sullivan P

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Connor Coward P

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Kit Scheetz P

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

Aaron McGarity P

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Totals

36

9

11

7

4

13

27

9

7

Doubles: Mangrum (2)

Triples: Owens

RBI: Cooper,  Stoffel  (2), Fragale  (2),  Mangrum,  Owens

Clutch RBI: Fragale (2), Mangrum,  Owens

Errors: Tufts (2),  Owens (2), Sullivan

Men Left on Base: 7

So, once again baseball proves to be baseball in a tautology for the ages. Tech goes up 2-0 in the series, and improves to 2-0 to start the season. It is a much better start than the two losses out of the gate at the Citadel last season.

Tech really needs to work on some fundamentals, though. Seven errors in two games are seven too many. That sort of play can squeak by some non-conference opponents, but not many. It’s accurate throws, sure glove work and pitching control that control the game.

Let’s see if the Hokies can put the broom up on the bus back home tomorrow evening.

Go for the Sweep, Hokies!!!!