Box Score
PDF BOX SCORE
BLACKSBURG, VA. – Junior
Luke Reynolds' (Manchester, N. H.) two run triple to left, broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth propelling UMass Lowell a dramatic, 6-4, victory over Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon at English Field in Blacksburg, Va.
The River Hawks went 3-1 in the VT Tournament an improved to 5-2 on the season, while the Hokies fell to 5-3.
"It was a great team win," said head coach
Ken Harring. "Reynolds stepped up big time"
The win comes less than 24 hours after the team fell to Virginia Tech 4-3 in 11 heart pounding innings.
"Proud of the effort after a tough loss yesterday," Said Harring. "Another big step for the UMass Lowell program"
The game's biggest hit came with men on the corners and one out in the top of ninth. Reynolds Drilled a 0-2 pitch to deep center to score juniors
Jacob O'Keefe (Wellington, Fla,) and
Danny Mendick (Rochester, N.Y.). Reynolds scored on the next play after an error by the left fielder to give the River Hawks a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom half of the ninth inning.
The Hokies Matt Dauby led off the ninth with a home run, but any Virginia Tech dreams of a comeback were snuffed out by freshman
Steve Xirinachs (San Diego, Calif.) who slammed the door shut and picked up his second save of the season.
Sophomore
Thulani Denaro (Acton, Mass.) earned the victory and improves to 2-0. Denaro pitched two innings, allowing two hits and a run. Luke Scherzer took the loss for VT.
Earlier Mendick gave the River Hawks a 2-0 lead knocking in junior
Kelly Rooney (Upton, Mass.), for a second time in the game with an RBI single. They stretched the lead to 3-0 on a sacrifice fly by freshman
Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) in the sixth.
Virginia Tech would score two in the bottom half of the inning and eventually tie it in the seventh on a RBI single to center by Kyle Wernicki.
Junior
Christian Lavoie started for the River Hawks and lasted six innings, giving up seven hits, two earned runs, while striking out five on the day.
Mendick was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Reynolds was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored also. Rooney scored two runs.
Each team had 11 hits, with the River Hawks stranding eight base runners compared to seven for the Hokies.
UMass Lowell is set to play at Central Connecticut State Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. VT will play Cincinnati later today.