April 27, 2012

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BLACKSBURG, Va. - Alfredo Rodriguez, K.J. Hockaday and Jordan Hagel helped Maryland take an early 4-0 lead over Virginia Tech, but the Hokies scored seven of the game's final eight runs for a 7-5 come-from-behind victory Friday night.

Rodriguez went 3-for-5 with two runs, while Hockaday was 3-for-3 and reached base in all five of his plate appearances by getting hit by a pitch twice. The freshman also scored one run and had a RBI. Hagel, meanwhile, was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.

The trio was fundamental to Maryland (27-18, 7-15 ACC) jumping out to a 4-0 lead with two-out rallies in the first and second innings. Five of Maryland's first six hits in the game came with two outs, including all three in a three-run second inning.

Maryland pitcher Jimmy Reed, who entered the weekend with an ACC-best 1.02 ERA, worked two scoreless innings to start the game. Tech, though, broke through for four runs in the third - two of them unearned - to tie it up.

The Terps retook the lead in the fifth on a RBI bunt single by Jack Cleary, but the Hokies (29-15, 9-13 ACC) responded with a two-out rally of their own to score three runs in the sixth and seize control.

Reed struck out the first two batters of the inning in the decisive sixth, but a walk to Kyle Wernicki opened the door for the Hokies. Three straight hits, capped by Tyler Horan's two-run double to right field, made it 7-5 Tech.

Still, Maryland wasn't without its chances to tie it up. The Terps had two runners on in both the eighth and ninth innings, but were unable to replicate the clutch two-out hitting from earlier in the game.

Reed (1-2), who allowed a career-high seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 5 1/3, took the loss. It was the first start of his career in which he lasted fewer than eight innings.

Tech reliever Tanny McInyre (5-0) was credited with the win after pitching 1 2/3 scoreless.

In the first, Hockaday's two-out infield single scored Rodriguez, who had led off the game with a single.

An inning later, Hagel drove in Korey Wacker and Rodriguez with a double to the gap in left-center field, and Tomo Delp followed with a RBI single to center to make it 4-0.

Tech, though, answered with a four-run third inning that tied it up. With runners on second and third, Andrew Rash doubled down the left-field line to cut the lead to 4-2. After Reed induced a groundout for the second out of the inning, it looked like he had the final out when Johnny Morales grounded to second. But Kyle Convissar's throw to first was wide, allowing Rash to score and prolonging the inning. A batter later, Mark Zagunis doubled to center to score Morales and tie it up.

The Terps retook the lead in the fifth. Consecutive singles by Hockaday and Kiene, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Convissar that moved the runners up, chased Tech starter Andrew Aizenstadt from the game. After Tanner McIntyre came on to pitch, Jack Cleary drove in Hockaday with a bunt base hit. But McIntyre escaped further trouble with a strikeout and groundout to strand two Maryland runners.

Michael Boyden retired all seven batters he faced in 2 1/3 innings of relief to keep Maryland close, but the Terps were unable to punch in any more runs as they left 11 runners on base in the game.

In his first game back in the lineup since April 11, Tim Kiene went 3-for-5 to help Maryland outhit Virginia Tech 14 to 10.

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