Cavaliers Fall On Friday Night At Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. – In a game that was delayed nearly three hours due to monsoonal moisture, the Virginia baseball team (31-17, 15-11 ACC) dropped a 5-4 decision to Virginia Tech (30-23, 12-17 ACC) at English Field on Friday (May 16).

UVA reliever Evan Blanco was dealt the loss after allowing a pinch-hit solo home run to Virginia Tech’s David Lewis in the sixth, which proved to be the difference in the contest.

 Offensively for the Cavaliers, the duo of Eric Becker and James Nunnallee each collected a pair of hits in the game, while Henry Ford hit his 10th home run of the season to tie for the team lead.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• After a quiet top of the first for the Cavaliers, the homestanding Hokies struck first in the opening frame with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly and an RBI single that made it an early 2-0 contest.
• A scoreless second inning gave way to a third frame where each team plated a pair of runs. UVA tied the game at 2-2 with a Ford two-run home run that scored, who reached when he was hit by a pitch.

• Virginia Tech regained the lead with two runs of their own in the home half of the frame on a fielder’s choice that plated a run and an RBI single.
• Jacob Ference worked a leadoff in the fourth and came around to score on Nunnallee’s 12th double of the season. Nunnallee came home to tie the game at 4-4, three batters on a Becker single to right field.

• In relief of Bradley Hodges, Bryson Moore tossed three innings of shutout ball while surrendering only one hit with three strikeouts.  
• The Hokies took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch-hit solo home run from Lewis.
• After surrendering the go-ahead home run, Blanco only allowed a pair of Hokie baserunners over the final 2.2 innings.

• Virginia attempted to mount a rally in the ninth when Chris Arroyo doubled down the line in right with two outs before Virginia Tech’s Grant Manning forced a groundout to end the game.

 ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Dating back to the April 6 contest at NC State, the Cavaliers have hit at least one home run in 19 straight games.
• James Nunnallee extended his reached safely streak to 15 games on Friday with a single in the eighth inning.

 UP NEXT

The rubber match against Virginia Tech is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday (May 17) at English Field. Lefthander Tomas Valincius (5-1) will get the start for Virginia in a game that’ll be carried on ACCNX and WINA (98.9/1070 AM).