Doherty Walk-Off Single Lifts Orange to World Series Crown

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Oct. 21, 2015

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Kevin Doherty (Sr., Laytonsville, Va.) hit a two-run, walk-off single to cap a three-run ninth-inning rally as the Orange team claimed a 4-3 win over the Blue Tuesday to win the 2015 Orange & Blue World Series. The seven-game series came down to a winner-take-all Game 7 Tuesday.

Doherty, Ernie Clement (So., Rochester, N.Y.) and Charlie Cody (So., Chesapeake, Va.) each had a pair of hits for the Orange, while freshmen Ryan Hartigan (Winchester, Va.) and Ryan Karstetter (Port Matilda, Pa.) each had two hits for the Blue.

Doherty also pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the Orange and earned the win, while Tommy Doyle (So., Vienna, Va.) took the loss. Blue starter Connor Eason (Fr., Chesapeake, Va.) worked five innings of one-run, three-hit baseball, while Orange starter Daniel Lynch (Fr., Henrico, Va.) tossed 3 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs and six hits.

The Blue had a lead the entire way, scoring just three batters into the game when Matt Thaiss (Jr., Jackson, N.J.) grounded out to plate Adam Haseley (So., Windermere, Fla.). They added a run in the third on a Cameron Simmons (Fr., Royersford, Pa.) sac fly and extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth on an RBI double by Hartigan.

The Orange started its comeback in the bottom of the fourth when Nate Eikhoff (Fr., Bristow, Va.) hit a screamer to left that was lost in the sun and rolled to the warning track, scoring Robbie Coman (Sr., Lake Worth, Fla.).

Neither team scored again until the ninth. With two out and Coman on third base, Doak Dozier (Fr., Fort Worth, Texas) singled up the middle to close the gap to 3-2. Cody then doubled to left to put runners at second and third for Doherty, who lined a hit the other way to right to easily score both runners and clinch the championship.

Virginia opens its 2016 regular-season schedule Feb. 19-21 when it travels to Myrtle Beach, S.C., to compete in a three-game tournament at Coastal Carolina.

2015 Orange & Blue World Series
Game 1: Blue 10, Orange 3
Game 2: Orange 4, Blue 3
Game 3: Orange 7, Blue 2 (Orange wins first 3-game series, 2-1)

Game 4: Blue 6, Orange 0
Game 5: Blue 12, Orange 4
Game 6: Blue 12, Orange 3 (Blue wins second 3-game series, 3-0)

Game 7: Orange 4, Blue 3