No. 17 Virginia Tech Falls in Extra Innings Thriller
No. 17 Virginia Tech lost the second game of the Commonwealth Clash series 6-5 Friday, tying the three-game series at one win apiece.
UVA held the lead for nearly the entire game, taking a 2-0 lead by the third inning. Leah Boggs’ single off of pitcher Lyndsey Grein drove in Shelby Barbee for the first run. After a cycle through the batting order, Barbee stepped back up to the plate, slapping a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Gabby Baylog to tag up and score.
Rachel Castine answered back in the fourth inning with a single to score Emma Ritter, bringing the game to 2-1. The Hokies’ fielding had a few hiccups in the fifth, letting Virginia run away with the game. Tori Gilbert managed to score off a wild pitch, while Kelsey Hackett and Sarah Coon hustled in for another two runs off an error by the shortstop, Castine.
By the top of the seventh inning, it wasn’t looking good for the Hokies, down four runs. A string of hits brought a glimpse of hope for Tech, as the bases were loaded with one out. Jayme Bailey stepped up to save the day, powering a ball over the fence for a grand slam to tie the game in the seventh. Tech went on to hold UVA in the bottom, heading to extra innings once again this week.
VT failed to convert an eighth-inning leadoff Kelsey Bennett walk, the game holding at 5-5 as Virginia came to bat in the bottom of the eighth. Boggs managed a single, and Jade Hylton knocked her in with a double to finish off the game 6-5.
Virginia Tech will close out the Commonwealth Clash series against UVA on Saturday, the final game deciding which rival will own bragging rights for the season. After UVA, Tech will head back home to face off against No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday.
