JMU rallies past Virginia Tech

Sophomore Matt Tenaglia (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) had a pair of multiple-RBI hits as James Madison scored seven runs over the final four innings to rally past Virginia Tech 7-5 in a non-conference baseball game Saturday evening at English Field.

JMU won its fourth straight game to improve to 31-15 overall. VT fell to 27-21 with the loss.

Tenaglia hit a two-run single in the sixth inning as JMU trailed 3-0 entering the sixth. He then gave the Dukes the lead for good with a two-run home run in the eighth, his ninth of the season. He extended his JMU season-best hitting streak to 14 games with eight of the last 10 featuring multiple hits.

Freshman shortstop Conner Brown (Richmond, Va./Godwin) added an RBI single in the eighth. The Hokies pulled back within a run at 5-4 thanks to a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning. However, the Dukes responded in the ninth with a two-run double by senior center fielder Alex Foltz (Mathias, W.Va./East Hardy). Virginia Tech got one run in the ninth with a two-out, bases-loaded walk until a foulout ended the game.

Sophomore D.J. Brown (Locust Grove, Va./Orange County) worked six innings of relief to earn the victory. He struck out nine and allowed two runs on four hits while raising his record to 8-1 and claiming the conference lead for victories.

Junior catcher Jake Lowery (Midlothian, Va./Cosby) broke the JMU record for season extra-base hits at 44 with a double, walk and two runs scored. Conner Brown also had multiple hits in JMU’s eight-hit effort.

Jake Joyce took the loss for the Hokies after allowing all three JMU runs in the eighth without recording an out.

Four Hokies had multiple hits among 11 total hits for the team. Designated hitter Jake Atwell, second baseman Michael Seaborn and center fielder Tony Balisteri each went 2-for-5. First baseman Ronnie Shaban went 2-for-4 with a walk, RBI and two runs scored. Right fielder Chad Pinder also had a two-run hit in the game.

Virginia Tech built the 3-0 lead thanks to a Chad Morgan RBI double in the second and Pinder’s two-run single in the third. That score held until Tenaglia’s consecutive two-run hits in the sixth and eighth.