BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech swept a doubleheader from UNCG on Tuesday, running its winning streak to eight straight with a pair of run-rule victories. The Hokies took game one 13-4 in 6 innings before rallying for an 11-3 win in 5 innings in the nightcap.
The Hokies (26-8) jumped all over UNCG starter Josie Felix (4-6) in game one, pounding out four hits and taking advantage of a UNCG error to plate five runs in the first inning. Virginia Tech fell a double short of the cycle in the inning, as Kat Banks hit a solo home run, Kristen Froehlich had an RBI triple and Dani Anderson and Bkaye Smith had singles in the frame.
UNCG (13-17) answered with three runs in the top of the second to get back in it. After freshman catcher Katelyn Bedwell hit a leadoff single, Heather Robb advanced her to second. The Hokies elected to try to nail Bedwell on the play but were unsuccessful, putting runners on first and second with no one out. April Langley reached on an infield single to load the bases, and Aisha Figueroa's infield single scored Bedwell with the Spartans' first run of the day. Another run came in on a Kristen Gabel groundout, and Jordan Jewett stroke an RBI single up the middle to make it a 5-3 contest.
The Hokies got a two-run single from Betty Rose in the bottom half of the second, then plated two more in the third on Froehlich's two-run homer. VT added another run in the fifth to make it 10-3 before Eileen Horsmon's RBI single brought in UNCG's final run of the contest.
Virginia Tech got a walk-off three-run homer from Anderson in the bottom of the sixth to put the mercy rule into effect.
Felix allowed 13 runs – nine earned – one 10 hits and 11 walks. Kenzie Roark (11-5) picked up the win for the Hokies, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on nine hits and two walks.
Jewett and Bedwell had two hits each to lead UNCG at the dish. Anderson was 3-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored for the Hokies.
UNCG came out firing on all cylinders to open game two, jumping out to a 3-0 lead through 2 ½ innings of play.
Back-to-back doubles from Gabel and Jewett to open the game made it 1-0 after the first inning, and RBI singles from Horsmon and Toni MacReynolds made it a 3-0 game in the third and knocked starter Ashton Ward from the game.
VT ace Jasmin Harrell came on to stop the bleeding, and allowed just one hit the rest of the way.
Meanwhile, the Hokies got a run back in the bottom of the third on Rose's run-scoring single, then blew the game open with five runs in the fourth. Three straight one-out walks loaded the bases for Banks and knocked starter Raeanne Hanks from the game, and Banks greeted reliever Cory Mattson with a grand slam to left field. Rose added an RBI single to make it a 6-3 game.
The Hokies put up another 5-spot in the fifth to once again put the mercy rule into effect. Anderson and Marra Hvozdovic had two-run singles in the frame.
Hanks (2-2) was tagged for the loss, as she was charged with four runs on five hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. Mattson allowed seven runs on five hits and five walks in an inning and a third.
Harrell (13-2) picked up the win with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief.
Banks was 3-for-4 with four RBI to lead VT at the plate. Four different players hit hits for UNCG.
UNCG returns to action this weekend at Western Carolina. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.
AGATE
Virginia Tech 13, UNCG 4 (Mar 29, 2011 at Blacksburg, VA) (Game 1)
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UNCG................ 030 001 - 4 9 3 (13-16)
Virginia Tech....... 522 013 - 13 10 3 (25-8)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Josie Felix. Virginia Tech - Kenzie Roark.
Win-Kenzie Roark(11-5) Loss-Josie Felix(4-6) T-2:07 A-0
HR VT - Kat Banks (3); Dani Anderson (4); Kristen Froehlich (5).
Weather: 54 and sunny
Felix faced 3 batters in the 6th.
Virginia Tech 11, UNCG 3 (Mar 29, 2011 at Blacksburg, VA) (Game 2)
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UNCG................ 102 00 - 3 4 1 (13-17)
Virginia Tech....... 001 55 - 11 10 3 (26-8)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Raeanne Hanks; Cory Mattson(4). Virginia Tech - Ashton Ward; Jasmin Harrell(3).
Win-Jasmin Harrell(13-2) Loss-Raeanne Hanks(2-2) T-1:35 A-187
HR VT - Kat Banks (4).
Weather: 52 and cloudy; night
- UNCG -
