February 16, 2007

CONWAY, S.C. - Four quick runs and the pitching of senior Greg Fryman helped Coach Pete Hughes pick up his first victory at Virginia Tech as the Hokies handed Old Dominion a 10-3 loss in the opening game of the IMICHotels.com INN-vitational at Conway, S.C. on Friday. Hughes took over the Tech helm in June after veteran coach Chuck Hartman retired following 28 seasons in Blacksburg.

After failing to score in its opening game on Thursday, the Hokies (1-1) struck for two runs in the top of the first inning against ODU starter Dan Hudson. Tech shortstop Warren Schaeffer (Vandergrift, Pa.) reached on a one-out error and scored all the way from first when third baseman Bryan Thomas (Wilmington, N.C.) doubled into the left field gap. Thomas moved to third on a bunt-single by first baseman Sean O'Brien (Chappaqua, N.Y.) and scored on freshman left fielder's Steve Bumbry's sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Another ODU throwing error opened the door for two more Tech runs in the second inning. After right fielder Sean Ryan (Ashburn, Va.) reached base on a one-out error, center fielder Nate Parks (Roanoke, Va.) drew a walk. Ryan and Parks moved up on a double-steal and both players scored on a two-out single by Thomas.

Old Dominion got on the board in the bottom of the second, when first baseman Anthony Shawler led off with a single, moved to third on a one-out single by shortstop Gerald Hall and came home on second baseman Chris Keenan's sacrifice fly

That would be all the Monarchs could get off Fryman (Gibsonia, Pa.) until the eighth inning. The senior right-hander gave up 10 hits but kept ODU off the scoreboard for five consecutive innings. He left the game with one out in the eighth after issuing his only walk of the game, followed by a home run off the bat of Old Dominion's Jake McAloose. By that point, his teammates had already staked him to a healthy lead.

Tech upped its lead to 5-1 in the fourth. Schaeffer got things started with a two-out single. Thomas walked, and O'Brien followed with a double to bring home Schaeffer. Thomas was thrown out trying to score on the play.

The Hokies chased Hudson in the seventh inning when he loaded the bases with a single and a pair of walks. Monarch reliever Hunter Hall entered the game and surrendered a two-out, infield-single to Tech second baseman Matt Hacker (Richmond, Va.) that brought home a run. Hall then issued a bases-loaded walk to catcher Matt Foley (Lansdowne, Va.) to score another run before getting out of the inning.

Three more runs in the eighth extended Tech's lead to 10-1. O'Brien added another RBI-double in the inning and finished with a team-leading three hits. Thomas added two hits and three runs batted in, while Schaeffer also picked up a pair of hits.

Fryman had two strikeouts and the one walk in picking up the win. Sophomore Rhett Ballard (High Point, N.C.) retired all five men he faced to finish out the game. Hudson gave up seven runs on eight hits over 6.2 innings and fell to 1-1 on the season with the loss.

Old Dominion, which suffered its first loss after winning its first four outings, finished with 10 hits. Left fielder Mike Zahm led the way with three hits, including a pair of doubles.

Tech is scheduled to face Pittsburgh at 3:30 p.m., on Saturday in day two of the three-day invitational.