March 30, 2005

PULASKI, Va. - The Virginia Tech baseball team plated nine runs in the first three innings and never looked back en route to a 14-10 win over James Madison University on Wednesday night at Calfee Park in Pulaski, Va. With the win, the Hokies improved to 8-9 on the season, while the loss dropped the Dukes to 7-15.

Sophomore designated hitter Billy Marn (Yorktown, Va.) smacked a pair of two-run homers to pace the Hokies to the win. Marn finished with four RBIs and was joined by left-fielder Sheldon Adams (Big Stone Gap, Va.), shortstop Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pa.) and center fielder Nate Parks (Salem, Va.) with three hits in the game. Adams also had a home run in the contest and drove in a total of three runs. Parks knocked in two runs, while Schaeffer scored two.

The Hokies used six hits in the bottom of the first to grab a 5-1 lead. Tech batted around during the inning, hitting for the cycle as a team in the process. Marn's first two-run homer highlighted the inning, along with a two-run triple by freshman right fielder Jose Cueto (Miami, Fla.).

Tech got two more runs off JMU starting pitcher Brian Leatherwood in the second as Adams blasted his two-run bomb down the right field line giving the Hokies a 7-2 lead. Tech added five runs on six hits over the third and fourth innings to build a 12-4 advantage. Marn added his second homer in the fifth to put the Hokies up 14-6.

The Hokies never trailed after their first inning explosion, but they were never able to completely shake the pesky Dukes. In the ninth inning, JMU second baseman Michael Cowgill started a string of five consecutive hits with a lead-off double. By the time pinch hitter Josh Eye singled to right field, the Dukes had scored three runs to pull within striking range, but Eye was thrown out by Cueto trying to stretch his single into a double.

Tech relief pitcher Bobby West (Blacksburg, Va.), who surrendered the single to Eye, then struck out JMU catcher Dan Santobianco for the second out of the inning before retiring left fielder Skyler Doom on a fly out to end the game.

Sophomore right hander Greg Fryman (1-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Matt McGahey (Jonesborough, Tenn.). Leatherwood (0-1) took the loss for James Madison in his first start of the year.

Both teams finished the game with 18 hits. Cowgill led the way with for the Dukes with a 4-for-5 game that included three runs scored and a run batted in. Nate Schill and Matt Bristow finished with three hits apiece.

The Hokies are scheduled to return to action on Friday, April 1, at 7 p.m., in Raleigh when they open a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with North Carolina State.