May 16, 2006

Box Score

UNCC 14, VT 3

 

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Charlotte used a nine-run fifth inning to defeat Virginia Tech, 14-3, in collegiate baseball action Tuesday night at English Field. With the loss, the Hokies fall to 20-30 while Charlotte improves to 32-18-1.

It was the final home game for Chuck Hartman, who is retiring at the end of the season after 28 years as the Hokie head coach.

The Hokies started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. First baseman Sean O'Brien (Chappaqua, N.Y.) led off the inning with a single up the middle, followed by a double up the middle by second baseman Matt Hacker (Richmond, Va.). Left fielder Billy Marn (Yorktown, Va.) then drove both in with a single to center.

Charlotte tied the game in the top of the third inning. Right fielder Spencer Steedley tripled in shortstop Mike Ambrose and then Steedley scored on a single up the middle by catcher Kris Rochelle.

The 49ers took the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Charlotte opened the inning with back-to-back singles by first baseman Alex Burt and second baseman Cory Lane, respectively. After a sacrifice moved both runners up one base, Burt scored on a fielding error by Hokie shortstop Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pa.).

Tech tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hacker singled to right-center and then stole second base. He scored on a throwing error by the Charlotte shortstop.

Charlotte broke the game open in the top of the fifth inning. Rochelle led off the inning with a double to left-center and advanced to third on a single to left by third baseman Aaron Bray. Rochelle then scored on a double steal, with Bray advancing to second. Centerfielder Chris Lane reached on a wild pitch on a strikeout that advanced Bray to third. After Bray was thrown out at the plate, Charlotte plated two more runs on RBI singles by Burt and Cory Lane. Leftfielder O'Brien Taylor drove in Burt and Cory Lane on a single to left field. The 49ers kept the inning going with a walk to Ambrose and, after a strikeout, Rochelle singled in Taylor and pinch-hitter Alex Bryant hit a three-run homer to left field to cap the scoring for the inning.

The 49ers scored again the top of the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Chris Taylor doubled to lead off the inning and with two outs, scored on a fielding error on a ball hit by Taylor. Taylor then scored on a double from Ambrose.

Tech reliever Rhett Ballard (High Point, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 3-3 on the season. Matt Landphair improved to 2-1 with the victory in relief for the 49ers. Hacker led the Hokies with three hits and scored two runs. Rochelle had three hits for the 49ers.

The Hokies conclude the 2005-06 season with a three-game ACC series at arch-rival Virginia, beginning Thursday night a 7 p.m.