BASEBALL: McAnaney stifles Hokies

By Jay Jenkins

Published: March 30, 2008

Approximately 20 minutes after Virginia clinched a series win over Virginia Tech, a 5-year-old boy stretched out his hand for a high five with Virginia third baseman Tyler Cannon.
“Way to whip those Hokies,” the youngster spouted.
For that kid, it has been a constant pattern in his life — at least in baseball.
The Cavaliers, behind another complete game on the mound, dispatched the Hokies, 9-2, at Davenport Field to win their 11th straight game in the in-state rivalry.
Virginia starting pitcher Pat McAnaney fanned 13 batters — a new career-best figure — and scattered six hits and two walks less than 24 hours after junior Jacob Thompson’s complete-game victory Friday night.
“I don’t know if that has ever happened under our current coaching staff,” said Virginia coach Brian O’Connor after improving to 22-5 and 7-4 in the ACC. “In this league, to be able to go back-to-back with complete games is pretty remarkable.
“It makes you feel good about the bullpen that you have available for the last game of the series. We will not have to string anybody out.”
Virginia Tech (8-17, 0-11 ACC) cannot stake the same claim — the Hokies used four pitchers as Virginia slapped out 10 hits.
Only three of the runs allowed by the Hokies’ hurlers, however, were earned as two infielders and catcher Anthony Sosnoskie combined to commit five errors, a figure that could climbed higher without a gracious official scorer.
Virginia also scored runs in an opportunistic fashion.
After a two-out single by David Adams in the first inning, rookie left fielder Dan Grovatt connected on what appeared to be a routine fly ball. But the play continued after the ball dropped behind the third baseman, giving Grovatt an RBI double.
“I just popped it up,” said Grovatt, who scored two runs and had two RBI. “I sliced it. It wasn’t a very good swing, but I got the work done.”
Grovatt, now a mainstay in the cleanup spot, also scored in the opening inning on an RBI single by first baseman Jeremy Farrell, who finished with three hits and three RBI.
The Cavaliers erupted again in the second, scoring four runs in a frame fueled by three hits and a pair of Virginia Tech errors. One of the hits included a two-out RBI single for freshman right fielder David Coleman, who finished with two hits and two RBI.
“David struggled there for a little bit earlier this season and I took him out of the lineup, hoping he could regain his confidence,” O’Connor said. “Fortunately, he has swung the bat well in the two games in this series.
“He’s going to be somebody we are going to count on in the back-half of the season.”
Thanks in part to Coleman’s hit and the first two Hokies miscues, McAnaney appeared to have ample run support until he ran into trouble in the sixth.
With Virginia leading 6-1, McAnaney gave up a leadoff walk to Sean O’Brien and helped the Hokies score with a wild pitch and a balk.
“I kinda lost my composure, which I shouldn’t do,” McAnaney said. “I hate walking guys and [Virginia pitching] coach Karl Kuhn always preaches to clear it out and get the next guy, but I let it bother me a little bit.”
McAnaney (3-1) also gave up a two-out single and a walk but stranded both in the sixth inning and watched his offense pad his lead in the Cavaliers’ half of the sixth and eighth innings. In fact, he retired nine of the 10 batters he faced for his second complete game of the season.
Ironically, McAnaney told teammates in the first inning Friday night during the Cavaliers’ 10-1 win that Thompson would go the distance on the mound.
“I predicted that he was going to throw a complete game,” McAnaney joked. “He tried to give me the same good vibe.”
McAnaney said he would try to pass down the same good wishes to junior Andrew Carraway, who is slated to start the series finale today at 1 p.m.
Carraway, who was chased after three innings last Sunday, said he relished the situation following back-to-back complete games.
“I like that,” Carraway said. “It will make it more fun.”