BLACKSBURG, Va. – The University of Toledo baseball team faced Virginia Tech twice on Saturday, dropping both games of a doubleheader. The Rockets lost game one, 7-1, and fell in a close 3-2 contest in game two.
"I have to give credit to Virginia Tech's pitchers, they did a good job of silencing our bats," head coach
Rob Reinstetle said. "We had some opportunities in game one but couldn't get that big hit. Their hitters took advantage of every little mistake we made.
Kyle Jones was masterful in game two and deserved a better outcome. Their starter was equally as good. Neither offense could get anything going, but in the end, Virginia Tech squeaked out the win. We have to come back tomorrow, battle, and find a way to win a ball game."
After the six-run setback in game one, Toledo carried a lead into the eighth inning of game two.
Kyle Jones was outstanding in the nightcap, tossing a career-best eight innings and tying a career high with 10 strikeouts, holding Virginia Tech scoreless through the first six frames while allowing just three hits. The Rockets led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the Hokies scored a run in each of the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to walk away with a pair of wins.
Trace Hatfield had a pair of hits in the first game and
Mason Sykes was credited with the lone UT RBI.
Layne Schnitz-Paxton started the game and threw four innings while striking out five, and
Brendan Collins,
Cal McAninch, and
Jason Young all saw time out of the bullpen.
Darryn Davis was 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the second game, and
Chris Meyers drove in the other Toledo run.
John Servello was 2-for-4 to account for the other UT hits.
Toledo and Virginia Tech will conclude their weekend series on Sunday with a 2:00 p.m. contest on the ACC Network.
How it Happened (Game 1)
- The Hokies took advantage of two first-inning walks, as both runners came around to score and put Toledo in an early 2-0 hole.
- The Rockets got on the board with a run in the top of the second. The first three batters of the inning reached safely, but Hatfield was the only one who was able to cross the plate, making the score 2-1.
- VT's TJ Rumfield hit a two-run home run to right field to put his team up 4-1 in the bottom of the third.
- Virginia Tech added runs in the fourth and fifth to extend its lead to 6-1.
- The Hokies scored for the fourth straight inning in the seventh, making the score 7-1 on a sacrifice fly.
How it Happened (Game 2)
- Both starting pitchers started the game well, combining to allow just one hit and strike out seven through the first three innings.
- Jones was particularly efficient, facing just one batter above the minimum through five innings.
- Toledo struck first in game two with a run in the top of the fourth. Servello reached on a leadoff triple and later scored on a fielder's choice to put UT ahead 1-0.
- Davis put Toledo ahead by two with a solo home run to right field in the top of the seventh.
- VT's Tanner Thomas launched the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence to halve the Hokies' deficit and bring home the first run of the game for his team, making the score 2-1.
- A two-out base hit into right field for the Hokies brought in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth.
- Virginia Tech walked off Toledo to complete the comeback, with Nick Biddison plating the game-winning run on a sac fly.
