Virginia Tech scored one in the ninth and one in the 10th to complete a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Coastal Carolina Tuesday evening at English Field.
The Hokies improve to 26-13 and he Chanticleers fall to 24-12.
In the 10th, Ronnie Shaban had a leadoff double and Chad Pinder followed with a bunt single, putting runners on the corners. Kyle Wernicki got a chopper up the middle past a drawn-in infield to deliver the game winner.
Aaron Burke, who entered the game as the NCAA leader in ERA, suffered the loss, falling to 4-3. He allowed nine hits and three runs (two earned) over 2.1 innings. Tanner McIntyre improved to 3-0 after working a perfect 10th.
In the top of the third, Coastal loaded the bases with no outs. Justin Creel had a leadoff double, Tripp Martin was hit by a pitch and Brian Pruett laid down a sacrifice bunt but reached on a throwing error. Jacob May singled through the left side to drive in Creel and keep the bases loaded. Alex Buccilli would hit into a double play, but Martin was able to score on the play for a 2-0 lead.
In the home half, Javier Reynoso gave up a leadoff walk, got a fly out and surrendered a single to put runners on the corners. Devin Bradley came out of the bullpen and kept the Hokies off the board by getting a pop out and ground out.
In the fifth, Pinder had a one-out double and scored when Brendon Hayden singled through the left side of the infield. Alex Perez followed with a single, putting runners on the corners. Ryan Connolly came on to get a foul out and a ground out to keep the score 2-1 in the Chants’ favor.
Coastal manufactured a run in the eighth. Daniel Bowman drew his second walk of the game. Two batters later, Coastal perfectly executed a hit-and-run. Bowman started for second base and Tucker Frawley hit a seeing-eye single through the hole. The ball was not hit very hard by Frawley, allowing Bowman to score all the way from first for 3-1 CCU lead.
The run proved key as Tyler Horan hit the first pitch of the home half over the center field wall, making the score 3-2. However, Virginia Tech tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth. Hayden had infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Gabe Ortiz followed with a bunt single. On the play, a throwing error allowed Hayden to score the tying run.
Coastal got the leadoff man on to start the 10th as pinch hitter Keith Picconi was hit by a pitch. Luke Willis came on to pinch run. He stole second but would be retired at third on a sacrifice bunt attempt.
This marks the second time Coastal has dropped an extra inning road game to an Atlantic Coast Conference school this season, falling 7-6 at fifth-ranked North Carolina on Mar. 28. The Chants also recently fell in 10 innings last Tuesday on the road to Colonial Athletic Association leader UNC Wilmington.
- Photo courtesy of CCU Athletics
