Collegiate Times

The Virginia Tech baseball team wrapped up a three-game set highlighted by an extra innings thriller against Wake Forest on Saturday. The Hokies closed out the series with a win, but ultimately lost two out of three to the Demon Deacons.

Preventing the series sweep and snapping Wake's six-game win streak, Tech took home a much-needed 3-2 Sunday victory thanks to an eighth inning home run from outfielder Klint Reed, his first of the year.

"It just felt amazing," Reed said. "After all the preparation, just being able to see it finally all come together."

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, the Hokies were aided by starting pitcher Justin Wright. He pitched a complete game, surrendering only two runs and eight hits while striking out a season-high eight batters.

"It would have been great to have him healthy against Georgia Tech or North Carolina," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I think today gave people an indication of how good he is, how deceptive and how he can carry an offensive team going in the right direction for a win."

The Hokies dropped the series' first game on Friday night by a score of 11-4. Wake Forest jumped out early when catcher Mike Murray launched a two-run homer in the top half of the first and the Demon Deacons never looked back.

The Tech bats were working against the Wake's lefty Austin Stadler, who gave up 11 hits while striking out seven in 7.1 innings pitched.

Catcher Anthony Sosnoskie and second baseman Michael Seaborn lead the Hokies' offensive charge. Sosnoskie put up two hits and driving in two runs while Seaborn went a perfect 3-for-3 on the night. However, three costly errors and a lack of production from the bottom of the order helped Wake maintain their lead.

Game two of the series was an offensive slugfest. Hitting with a strong outgoing wind, the two teams combined for 34 hits with seven dingers in a back-and-forth contest that included eight lead changes.

Wake Forest's catcher Mike Murray led the way, going 5-for-6 and driving in six Demon Deacon runs.

The Hokies had established the biggest lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth. After a three-run home run from left fielder Steve Domecus, the Hokies went up 11-6.

But Murray and the Deacons recovered. Wake put five on the board the next half inning to tie it up at 11 apiece. After Wake's Evan Ocheltree took the first pitch of the ninth inning over the right field fence for his second homer of the game, the score was knotted up at 14-14.

Tech was held scoreless in the bottom of the ninth. Then, Wake outfielder Ryan Semeniuk drove in the go ahead run from third to go up 15-14 in the tenth, which would prove to be the game's final score.

"It was so offensive with the wind conditions," Hughes said. "But when you hustle and compete and never panic and do everything you ask a team to do, if you keep having these one-run games it'll turn."

The Hokies will re-take the field on Tuesday when they play host to Gardner-Webb at 5:30 p.m.