Junior Brad McElroy his his team-leading second home run for Charlotte. |
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Charlotte Tosses Second Straight Shutout, Downs Hokies 11-0
Feb. 15, 2007
Kannapolis, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers tied last season's shutout total in just five games as the Niners opened up the home season 11-0 over Virginia Tech Thursday afternoon at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium in Kannapolis. It was the third shutout for Charlotte pitching this season, as four Charlotte pitchers combined for the result, extending their run to 23 consecutive innings without allowing an opponent to score.
It was the season opening game for Virginia Tech (0-1), which heads to Myrtle Beach for three games. Charlotte (4-1) had double digit hits for the fourth straight game, while not committing an error for the second consecutive game.
The Niners got on the board in the second with a leadoff home run by Brad McElroy, his second of the season. It was the first solo home run for Charlotte this season, but the fifth big fly for the Niners.
Junior lefty Luke Stahl made his first start count, getting through five innings of work for his first win as a Niner (1-0). He walked five and allowed three hits, striking out two. Senior catcher Kris Rochelle was key in the shutout, throwing out two runners trying to steal and a third he picked off base. Stahl also picked off a runner in the game to help preserve the shutout.
Charlotte poured it on in the later innings, scoring four in the fifth and three each in the six and seventh innings to salt the game away.
Charlotte was very efficient on the base paths, stranding only five runners on 16 hits. The Niners had six extra base hits, including three triples and a pair of doubles by Rochelle.
Chris Lane and Alex Burt had three hits each for the Niners, as eight of the nine starters garnered a hit for the home team.
Third baseman Bryan Thomas was 3-for-3 for the Hokies, with three other Virginia Tech batters getting at least a hit in the game.
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Tech starter David Cross took the loss (0-1). He lasted only two innings on a pitch count in his first outing. He allowed just the McElroy homer to go with three strikeouts and no walks.
The last time Virginia Tech was shut out to begin the season was Feb. 25, 1997, in a 1-0 loss at Charlotte.
Charlotte hosts Radford Sunday in an 11 a.m. doubleheader to take place at Pfeiffer University.
