May 3, 2006

Box Score

Virginia Tech 8, Liberty 3

 

BLACKSBURG, Va. - Three Virginia Tech pitchers combined to limit Liberty University to five hits as the Hokies doused the Flames 8-3 at English Field on Wednesday night. The win extended Tech's winning streak against non-Atlantic Coast Conference teams to 10 straight games.

Tech pitchers Nicky Bowers (Stuart, Va.), Greg Fryman (Gibsonia, Pa.) and Adam Redd (Dumfries, Va.) held the Flames hitless over the final six innings of play and combined for 12 strikeouts. Bowers (3-5) started and pitched seven innings, striking out a career-high nine batters, while allowing three runs on five hits. Fryman and Redd pitched an inning each.

Junior center fielder Nate Parks (Roanoke, Va.) got Tech on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Parks lead off the inning with a single, stole second base and scored on a two-out single by first baseman Sean O'Brien.

The Flames (33-14) bounced back to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the second. A leadoff-double by first baseman Aaron Grijalva and a one out walk to right fielder Phil John set the stage for center fielder Derek Bennion's two-run double off the center field wall.

Tech right fielder Jose Cueto's (Miami, Fla.) home run with a man aboard in the bottom of the second put the Hokies back on top before Liberty evened the count at 3-3 in the top of the third on Grijalva's second double of the game. Left fielder Phillip Laurent, who reached on a double with two outs, scored on the play.

The Hokies (19-27) picked up three runs in the bottom of the third. Leadoff batter Bryan Thomas (Wilmington, N.C.) struck out, but reached first base on a wild pitch. O'Brien followed with a double and left fielder Billy Marn (Yorktown, Va.) drew a walk that loaded the bases. Second baseman Matt Hacker (Richmond, Va.) and designated hitter Luke Padgett (Lynchburg, Va.) lifted back-to-back sacrifice flies to center field to drive home Thomas and O'Brien, respectively. After Cueto singled to move Marn to third, catcher Matt Foley (Lansdowne, Va.) delivered an RBI-single.

Foley and Marn added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. Foley belted his first home run of the season to cap a 4-for-4 day that also included a double, two singles, two RBIs and a run scored. Marn contributed a sacrifice fly to drive in the final run.

Tech finished the game with 15 hits. O'Brien added three hits to the cause, while Cueto, Thomas and Hacker had two each.

Liberty starting pitcher Michael Solbach took the loss after allowing six runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings. Solbach is now 7-4 on the season.

Tech will take a week off for exams before returning to action at home on May 10 against Campbell University.