BLACKSBURG – Returning to the diamond on Sunday for Game 2 of its annual intrasquad Fall World Series, the Virginia Tech baseball team witnessed Maroon extend its leads in all open scoring categories as it defeated Orange, 5-1, in seven innings at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Batting as the home team, Maroon put up crooked numbers to win both the first and third innings of play, banking a series point each time. Orange rallied to push across a run during the seventh inning, holding off Maroon to steal a point back.
FALL WORLD SERIES SCORING
To win the Fall World Series, Maroon or Orange must win at least two of the following three categories: (a) Game 3 score, (b) series points and (c) series run differential. Teams earn one series point for every inning won on the scoreboard.
Cumulative scoring will be displayed on the English Field video board throughout the series and will be tracked in real time as follows:
- Runs column – Displays individual game score
- Hits column – Displays cumulative series points (Maroon leads, 4-2)
- Errors column – Displays cumulative run differential (Maroon leads, +5)
Whichever side wins at least two of the three categories displayed on the scoreboard after Game 3 will be determined the winner.
GAME 1 (OCT. 26)
On Wednesday, Maroon defeated Orange, 2-1, in seven innings to claim the +1 lead in run differential. Additionally, Maroon secured the 2-1 lead in series points by virtue of winning two innings to Orange's one.
GAME 2
Maroon caught a hot start at the plate against Orange fourth-year left-hander Henry Weycker, plating three runs during the bottom of first inning to clinch its third series point of the series.
Sophomore infielder Christian Martin put the offensive gears in motion for Maroon, driving a leadoff triple into the right field corner. Two batters later, fourth-year outfielder Carson Jones knocked a two-run home run off the English Field scoreboard, preceding a solo home run by freshman infielder Garrett Michel (Denver, North Carolina) that rushed Maroon out to the 3-0 lead during Game 2.
By winning the first inning, Maroon extended its series leads in the two open scoring categories: run differential (+4) and series points (3-1).
Maroon fifth-year starting pitcher Jonah Hurney blanked Orange through three innings, striking out two. Graduate infield transfer David Bryant (Radford) came through with Orange's lone hit against Hurney, later doubling as part of his 2-for-3 afternoon.
Back-to-back leadoff singles during the bottom of the third inning by freshman outfielder Cooper Cross (Reno, Nevada) and Martin set the tone for Maroon to score twice. Jones delivered the sacrifice fly that clinched the third inning for Maroon, helping push its Game 2 lead to 5-0 as well as its advantages in run differential (+6) and series points (4-1).
Orange came 90 feet away from jumping onto the scoreboard during the top of the fifth inning. Bryant, who had connected on a two-out double, swiped third base on a passed ball, though was left stranded as rookie right-hander Griffin Stieg (McLean, Virginia) struck out freshman infielder Clay Grady (Suffolk, Virginia) to end the inning.
Graduate reliever Kiernan Higgins logged three scoreless relief innings for Orange, granting Orange room to win a series point back during the seventh inning. Rookie catcher Henry Cooke (Stuarts Draft, Virginia) chimed in with the RBI single that went unanswered by Maroon, reducing Maroon's Game 2 lead to 5-1 as well as its advantages in run differential (+5) and series points (4-2).
UP NEXT
Game 3 of the Fall World Series will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 2:30 p.m. at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. Any and all fans are encouraged to attend while taking advantage of free admission and open seating (ballpark concessions and concourse operations will be closed).