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April 4, 1999

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Ryan Kalamaya belted a 1-2 curve balloverthe leftfield fence to lead off the bottom of the ninth here Sunday astheUniversity of Virginia defeated No. 7 Georgia Tech 6-5. The Cavalierstooktwo of three games from the Yellow Jackets on the weekend, winning theseries against Tech for the third time in the Old Gold’s last four tripstothe Grounds. All three games were decided by one run.

Virginia is now 14-19 on the season and 5-6 in the ACC,solidifyinga fourth-place spot in the conference midway through the leagueschedule.

Georgia Tech falls to 24-8 and 6-3. The Yellow Jackets will remain insecond place in the ACC standings, six games behindundefeated-in-the-conference and top-ranked Florida State.

Kalamaya had a chance to be hero because of a two-run top of theninth by Tech that tied the score 5-5. Mark Teixeira singled to left toscore Steve Economos from third and chase UVa starter Brandon Creswellfromthe game. Jason Basil then took the second pitch he saw from relieverCaseyKennedy into left, plating Richard Lewis and putting runners at firstandsecond with two outs. However, Kennedy then got Derik Goffena to groundback to the mound and end the inning.

It was career home run No. 1 for Kalamaya, a Longmont, Colo.,native. The freshman right fielder had gone 0-for-3 on the day and0-for-8on the weekend before connecting on the Kevin Cameron breaking pitch.

Georgia Tech got on the board first with two runs in the top ofthefirst. Virginia countered with one in the bottom of the inning on aone-outhome run by catcher Jon Benick, his team-leading seventh of the season.TheCavaliers then added a run in the second and another in the third on atwo-out double by David Stone, giving the Wahoos a 3-2 lead.

UVa added another in the fifth when Benick doubled to lead offtheinning, was sacrificed to second by Hunter Wyant and scored on a groundoutby Mark Rueffert. Georgia Tech closed the gap to one run in the sixthwithan unearned run on a hit and a Virginia error. Rueffert singled tocenterwith two outs in the seventh to score Luis Giraldo and set the stage forthe dramatic ninth.

For the third time in three days, neither starting pitcherfiguredin the decision. Creswell lasted eight and two-thirds innings but tookhisfirst no decision of the year. He allowed five runs, only one of whichwasearned, on nine hits with four strike outs. Tech starter Cory Vance wastaken off the hook in the top of the ninth after allowing five runs onninehits with four whiffs over seven innings of work.

Kennedy (2-4) was credited with the win despite blowing the saveinhis first relief appearance of the year. Cameron (2-1), who entered thegame to begin the eighth, allowed only Kalamaya’s home run with onestrikeout.

Eight of Virginia’s nine starters had hits with Giraldo andBenickeach getting two. Rueffert finished the day with two RBI. For the YellowJackets, Teixeira, Basil and Goffena had two hits apiece, while Lewisscored twice.

Virginia will step out of the ACC for two midweek games,travelingto Richmond Tuesday for a 3 p.m. game and returning home for a 3 p.m.contest Wednesday with No. 27 Virginia Commonwealth. The Cavaliers willreturn to road conference action next weekend at Wake Forest. GeorgiaTechwill host Winthrop Tuesday at 6 p.m. before traveling to Duke nextweekend.

VIRGINIA 6, No. 7 GEORGIA TECH 5


Tech (24-8, 6-3) 200 001 002 – 5 10 1UVa (14-19, 5-6) 111 010 101 – 6 10 4

WP – Kennedy (2-4). LP – Cameron (2-1). Sv – None.Vance, Cameron (8) and McQueen; Creswell, Kennedy (9) and Benick. T – 2:11. A – 439.

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