Cavaliers Edge Hokies in Baseball, 3-2

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April 22, 1998

SALEM, Va. – Freshman left-hander Brandon Creswell pitched a complete game as the University of Virginia defeated Virginia Tech, 3-2, in baseball Wednesday night at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium.

Creswell scattered seven hits and shut the Hokies out over the last four innings to improve his record to 2-0 on the season. He struck out six Tech batters and walked just two in winning a pitchers’ duel with Hokie starter Jon Hand (7-2) who also went the distance.

Virginia (26-18-1) broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning when right fielder E.J. Anderson led off with a single and scored all the way from first on a one-out double by first baseman Javier Lopez.

Tech, now 24-16-2, scored the game’s first run on a ground-out by designated hitter Jason Babcock in the second inning. Virginia, which was shut out on two hits over the first four innings, went on top 2-1 in the fifth inning on a two-out, two-run single by center fielder Ted Kinsman. The Hokies bounced back with a game-tying single by center fielder Gray Hodges in the bottom of the fifth before Lopez delivered his game-deciding hit in the sixth.

Left fielder Jon Kemmerer led UVa with three hits, while Kinsman and Lopez contributed two hits each. Catcher Barry Gauch and shortstop Christian Simmers paced Tech with two hits apiece.

The win gave Virginia two wins in three games against Tech this season. The Cavs also took a one-run decision in Charlottesville two weeks ago, 4-3. Tech won last Wednesday in Blacksburg, 10-5.

Tech is scheduled to play the University of Richmond in Blacksburg on Thursday at 3 p.m.

UVa 000 021 000 - 3 9   0VT  010 010 000 - 2 7   0Creswell and Ruefert. Hand and Gauch. W- Creswell (2-0) L- Hand (7-2)