Virginia Tech vs North Carolina Baseball Recap

(12) Virginia Tech 3, (26) North Carolina 5

After controlling the game for seven innings, the wheels came off for the Virginia Tech Hokies' bullpen when the North Carolina Tar Heels scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to give them the lead and the win on Friday night. 

The Hokies saw their starter, Mathew Price; pitch a steady six innings, giving up just one earned run while striking out five.  However, Price received very little help on offense, as Tech scored just three runs, all of which came in the top of the third.

The third inning started with a pair of singles by Andrew Rash and Sean Ryan, awarding Buddy Sosnoskie an RBI opportunity.  Sosnoskie pounced on a Chris Munnelly fastball, driving it into right field and scoring Rash from third.  Next, Tech's Steve Domecus doubled to second, plating Ryan on the play.  Austin Wates drove in the third and final run for the Hokies when he hit a deep sacrifice fly to left, allowing Sosnoskie to sneak home. 

However, the rest of the game belonged the Tar Heels.  Munnelly lasted just three innings but Colin Bates entered and shut down the Hokies over the final six innings.  Bates held the Hokies to just three hits while striking out seven. 

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After five scoreless innings, the Heels were able to finally muster a run in the bottom of the sixth when UNC's Ben Bunting scored on a throwing error.  However, it was the bottom of the seventh that blew the game open.

After Price allowed a leadoff single to Carolina's Levi Michaels, the Hokies decided to replace Price with short reliever Scott McDermott, who forced Dillon Hazlett to fly out. After that play, though, outs became hard to come by for Virginia Tech. McDermott then allowed a single to Brian Goodwin, giving the Heels runners on first and second.  Next, Ryan Greapel snuck a grounder past the Hokies’ Michael Seaborne, allowing Michaels to score.  Bunting grounded out to record the second out of the inning but Seth Baldwin managed to single to left scoring Goodwin from third.  Tommy Coyle drove in the final run of the inning with another base hit, giving the Heels a 4-3 lead in the process.

UNC added an insurance run in the eighth when Goodwin drove in Michaels on a two-out double.  Virginia Tech’s Ben Rowan was able to finish out the inning but the damage was done and the hole was just too deep for the Hokies.

The final game of this series will be played on Saturday at 2 p.m. Eastern in Chapel Hill. The Heels will be looking for their ninth straight win against the Hokies and their fourth straight series sweep.

By: Justin Clark
ACC Fans Guest Writer