Edited by Chris Graham
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#20 Virginia Tech avoided a three-game series sweep with an 8-5 win over second-ranked Virginia Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd of 4,219 at Davenport Field.
The Hokies used a five-run ninth inning, capped by Buddy Sosnoskie’s two-out, two-strike, bases-clearing double, to rally for its first win in Charlottesville since 2000 and snap a 12-game losing streak at UVa.
Virginia sold out all three games of the series and finished with a program record three-game attend ance of 12,657.
Jarrett Parker (Jr., Stafford, Va.) homered as part of a 3-for-4, two-RBI day. John Barr (Jr., Ivyland, Pa.) also racked up three hits.
Kevin Arico (Jr., Flemington, N.J.) allowed three runs in the ninth inning and took the loss to fall to 0-1 this year. Ben Rowen (3-1) earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.
Virginia starting pitcher Cody Winiarski (Jr., Franksville, Wis.) pitched six innings, giving up three runs (two earned), four hits and three walks with four strikeouts. Virginia Tech starter Jesse Hahn worked 6.1 innings, allowing five earned runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out 10.
Virginia (29-9, 12-6 ACC) put up three runs in its first trip to the plate. With one out Keith Werman (So., Vienna, Va.) and Dan Grovatt (Jr., Tabernacle, N.J.) drew back-to-back walks. One out later Parker singled to right and Werman scored after sliding around the tag of catcher Steve Domecus. Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) followed with a double to right to plate both runners and give UVa a 3-0 lead.
Virginia Tech (25-13, 9-9) got on the board in the third inning. Michael Seaborn led off with a single and moved to second when Matt Blow reached on a Werman fielding error. A Winiarski balk moved each of the runners up 90 feet and one out later, Sean Ryan grounded out to bring in Seaborn.
The Hokies tied the game in the fourth. With one out Austin Wates was hit by a pitch. After Tim Smalling grounded back to the mound for the second out, Ronnie Shaban, Seaborn and Blow hit consecutive singles, with Shaban and Blow’s hits each scoring runs.
Virginia edged ahead in the sixth inning when Parker launched a solo blast over the bleachers in left-center field for his third home run of the season.
The Cavaliers tacked on a run in the seventh inning. Barr led off with an infield single. He was erased when Phil Gosselin (Jr., West Chester, Pa.) bunted into a fielder’s choice. Gosselin then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Werman coaxed a walk, forcing the Hokies to go to left-hander Sean McDermott out of the bullpen. Grovatt then put down a great bunt on a safety squeeze, with McDermott making a barehanded grab and just beating Grovatt to first base for the out. Gosselin scored on the play to give UVa a 5-3 lead.
The Hokies rallied for five runs in the ninth inning against UVa’s top two relievers. With one out Arico struggled to find the plate and walked the bases loaded – in his 20 innings this year, he had walked just four batters. Tyler Wilson (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) came on and struck out Anthony Sosnoskie before walking Ryan to force in a run. On a 2-2 count and after fouling off several pitches, Buddy Sosnoskie lined a double off the left-field wall to clear the bases and give Virginia Tech a 7-5 lead. Wates followed with a bloop single to score Sosnoskie and push the lead to 8-5.
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