Hokies edged by No. 15 UVa 2-1
Wells, Ballard combine for eight K's
March 30, 2008

Box Score #15 UVa 2, VT 1
 
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia Tech Hokies lost a tight 2-1 ballgame against ACC foe and 15th-ranked Virginia on Sunday afternoon at Davenport Field in a pitcher's duel that featured a combined 19 strikeouts and only 14 hits.

Tech (8-18, 0-12 ACC) got a solid 4.2 innings out of starter Andrew Wells (Alexandria, Va.), who allowed just one run on four hits and three walks, while striking out two, in his longest outing of the season. Reliever Rhett Ballard (1-3, High Point, N.C.) got pegged with the loss despite striking out six batters and allowing just one run in a season-high 3.1 innings.

Matt Packer (4-0) earned the win in two scoreless relief innings for UVa (23-5, 8-4 ACC), while Michael Schwimer collected his eighth save of the season.

The Hokies picked up a quick run in the top of the first after second baseman Austin Wates (Richmond, Va.) sent the first pitch of the game deep into the hole and beat out the throw for an infield single. Shortstop Ty Hohman (Tomball, Texas) immediately moved Wates to second with his ACC-leading sixth sacrifice bunt of the season, and first baseman Sean O'Brien (Chappaqua, N.Y.) brought him home by poking an RBI double down the left-field line.

Jeremy Farrell tied it up for UVa in the bottom of the third when he launched his team-leading fifth home run of the year - a solo shot - into the left-field bleachers, and the Cavaliers scored the go-ahead run in the sixth when Jarrett Parker hit a bases-loaded single that plated Dan Grovatt.

Tech nearly answered right back in the top of the seventh, when with runners on second and third with two outs, Wates sliced a fly ball to shallow right field that looked like it might score both runners. However, UVa's David Coleman - who had just entered the game as a pinch hitter in the sixth - made a diving catch to end the threat.

The Hokies then squandered a leadoff double by Hohman in the top of the eighth by striking out three times to end the inning.

Tech is scheduled to resume play on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. with a home contest against Radford.