Hokie ClubCOLLEGE PARK, Md – The Virginia Tech baseball team was held to just four hits on Saturday afternoon at Maryland, but the Hokie pitching staff limited the host Terrapins to only six of their own, claiming game two of the series at Shipley Field by a score of 4-3.
It was the fourth straight win for Virginia Tech (20-12, 6-10 ACC), which clinched its fifth conference series since joining the ACC, having won game one on Friday. The Hokies have never swept a three-game league set as a member of the ACC, and will try to do so on Sunday when the series concludes at 1 p.m. Maryland dropped to 15-19 overall and 4-12 in the ACC with the loss.
The Hokies didn’t have a base-runner over the final four innings, as the Maryland pitching staff struck out 12 Tech batters on the day, including eight of 10 at one point. But all four of Tech’s hits were doubles, and three of them came consecutively in a four-run fifth inning that proved to be all the Hokies needed.
That’s because Tech’s pitchers were equally as dominant, limiting the Terps to just six base knocks for the second straight day. One week after throwing his second career complete game, starter Justin Wright was solid again, going seven innings and allowing three runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out four. Relievers Sean McDermott and Brandon Fisher combined to shut out the Terps on just one hit over the final two frames, with Fisher earning his third save of the season. Tech’s bullpen has not allowed a run since April 4. Wright improved to 3-1 with the win, and now owns a 7-1 career record.
Maryland’s Mike Murphy got the scoring started with a solo home run to left in the bottom of the fourth inning, giving the Terps a 1-0 lead.
In the all-important top of the fifth for the Hokies, shortstop Ty Hohman doubled high off the left field wall to plate second baseman Michael Seaborn, who reached on a double of his own with one out. First baseman Buddy Sosnoskie followed with a nearly identical two-bag shot to score Hohman. Designated hitter Steve Domecus, who saw his 24-game hitting streak come to an end, then dropped down a bunt that moved Sosnoskie to third, but Maryland’s throw to first got away, allowing Sosnoskie to score and Domecus to race to third. Center fielder Steve Bumbry then brought Domecus home with a sacrifice fly to right, making it 4-1 Tech.
The Terps added a pair in the sixth to cut the Hokie lead to one, but that’s all they would muster the rest of the game. After second baseman Matthew Murakami led off with a single and moved to second when shortstop David Poutier walked, he came home to scored when right fielder A.J. Casario doubled off the right-center field fence. Poutier then scored from third on an RBI ground out to shortstop by Murphy.