June 5, 2010

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CBI Live
Resilient Hokies eliminate Bison

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

COLUMBIA, S.C. – After an opening-game loss and a pair of weather delays, the Hokies get to stick around at least one more day.

Second-seeded Virginia Tech posted 16 hits and 16 runs in outscoring fourth-seeded Bucknell 16-7 Saturday afternoon in an elimination game in the Columbia Regional in front of 4,302 fans at Carolina Stadium.

The Hokies (39-21) will meet the loser of the South Carolina-The Citadel game on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tech needs three more wins to capture the Columbia Regional.

Bucknell finished its season with a 25-35 mark.

After getting just two runs against The Citadel on Friday, the Hokies put up five in the top of the first. Sean Ryan had a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second. After a walk to Steve Domecus, Austin Wates reached on an error to load the bases. Ronnie Shaban had a two-run single to start the scoring. Wates came in on a passed ball, while Buddy Sosnoskie added a RBI single and Andrew Rash contributed a sacrifice fly to give Tech a 5-0 cushion.

Michael Seaborn drew a two-out walk in the top of the second when the game was suspended due to lightning.

After a delay of one hour and 44 minutes, Shaban had a two-run double and Smalling knocked in two with a base hit as the Hokies built a 9-0 lead.

Hokie starter Mathew Price did not take the mound after the delay. He threw 17 pitches in his one scoreless inning of work with one hit and one walk. Price could be available to pitch on Sunday or Monday for Tech.

RBI doubles by Wates in the fourth and Sean Ryan in the fifth pushed the lead to 11-0.

Bucknell put a rally together in the bottom of the fifth. B.J. LaRosa had a two-run homer to cap a four-run spurt as the Bison cut the margin to 11-4.

The game experienced a second weather delay after five innings, lasting 37 minutes.

Sosnoskie had the big bat after the second delay for the Hokies, with a two-run homer in the seventh and a three-run blast in the eighth.

Sosnoskie finished with three hits and six RBI. Shaban went 3 for 5 with three runs and four RBI.

Bob Donato went 3 for 3 with one run for Bucknell. Doug Shribman also homered for the Bison.

Manny Martir (4-3) worked four innings in relief to earn the win. He allowed four hits and four runs (three earned) with one walk and three strikeouts. Jake Joyce and Brandon Fisher both tossed two innings for Tech.

Trey Frahler (4-7) was the starter and loser for the Bison, pitching before and after the first delay. In 1.2 innings, he allowed six hits and nine runs (seven earned) with three walks and no strikeouts.