March 20, 2004

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Jeff Landing pitched a five-hit shutout as Virginia Tech defeated Duquesne 3-0 in the second game of a double-header at English Field on Saturday. Tech also won the opening game, scoring in the bottom of the 10^th inning, to earn a 3-2 victory.

Tech (10-5), which had just one complete-game pitching performance all last season, got a much-needed one from Landing on Saturday. The junior right-hander picked a runner off second base in the first inning and coaxed a double-play ball to get out of a jam in the second. From there on, he allowed just two Duquesne runners to advance past first base. Landing (2-1) struck out six batters and walked three.

The Hokies gave Landing a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but weren't able to give him any breathing room until adding two more runs in the seventh. Tech scored in the second when freshman shortstop Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pa.) drew a bases-loaded walk from Dukes' starting pitcher Scott Chisholm (1-3). Schaeffer tripled to lead off the Tech seventh and scored the second run of the game on a single by center fielder Sheldon Adams (Big Stone Gap, Va.). Adams eventually scored the final run when designated hitter Wyatt Toregas (Ashburn, Va.) grounded into a fielder's choice.

A dropped fly ball off the bat of Toregas proved to be the difference in the hard-fought opening game, which was originally scheduled for seven innings. It was Duquesne (5-8) that opened the scoring on a bases-loaded walk in that game, taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning. An RBI-single by Schaeffer tied the game in the fifth inning. Tech took the lead in the sixth when third baseman Chris Stanton (Centreville, Va.) doubled, stole third and scored on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Adams.

The Dukes battled back against Tech closer Nicky Bowers (Stuart, Va.) in the top of the seventh. Left fielder Luke Taggart drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a balk and came home with the tying run on a single by shortstop Dan Schwartzbauer.

Three shutout innings of relief by right-hander Brett Cory (Midlothian, Va.) gave Tech the opportunity to finally end the contest in the 10^th. The winning rally started when a pitch hit Stanton with two outs in the inning. Stanton moved to second on a pinch-hit single by Joe Daly (Danville, Va.) and scored on an outfield error.

The rally made Cory (2-0) the winning pitcher. Chisholm, the starter in the nightcap, also took the loss in the opener after working the final 2 1/3 innings for the Dukes.

Tech and Duquesne are scheduled to meet again at English Field on Sunday at noon.