BLACKSBURG - Dalton Harum hit a solo home run and also scored an unearned run in the sixth inning that turned out to be the difference as the Maroon team defeated the Orange by a score of 3-2 in Game 2 of the 2018 Maroon & Orange World Series held Monday afternoon at English Field at Union Park.
With his team leading 1-0, Harum led off the fourth frame with the series' first home run, a shot to left and, with Maroon hold a 2-1 advantage in the top of the sixth (and final inning of the game), Harum would single for his second base knock of the contest.
With two outs, Jonah Seagears also singled, his second hit of the game, to extend the inning. With runners on the corners, Seagears broke for second and was tagged, but the ball fell to the ground while Harum raced home for the team's third run.
Maroon got on the board in the first with Jack Owens scoring on a two-out double by Nick Owens.
Orange scored its first run of the game in the fifth frame, with Cam Grimes also hitting a two-out RBI double that plated Reagan Teegarden. In the bottom of the sixth, Kerry Carpenter recorded his second hit of the game, a solo home run to right to finish off the day's scoring.
For the second straight game, the pitching staffs were solid most of the day. For Maroon, who limited Orange to just three hits, Mark Loving picked up the win after two scoreless innings and two strikeouts, Ryan Okuda struck out one in two frames and Bryan Meissner picked up the save with two innings of work and one strikeout.
For Orange, Ryan Metz, Skylar Petry and Sean Clark all tossed two innings as each allowed a run. Petry and Clark both struck out two in their time on the mound.
Game 3 of the series will be played on Thursday with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m. Despite losing the first two games, run differential will determine the series winner, and the current score is Maroon 6, Orange 4.
Also this week, the Hokies will play another exhibition game, against Florence-Darlington Tech on Wednesday afternoon. The start time is 3:30 p.m. There is free admission to both games.