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Feb. 28, 2006

Box Score

Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, while freshman Zach Rosenbaum (Huntersville, N.C./North Mecklenburg) and sophomore B.J. Hagen limited Virginia Tech to just one hit over the final four innings to close out an 8-5, comeback win on Tuesday at Tom and Lib Phillips Field.

Charlotte is off to an 8-2 start, its best streak since kicking off the 2000 campaign with 11 straight W's.

Rosenbaum, making his first collegiate appearance, was perfect through the sixth and seventh innings to pick up the win for the Niners. He left after hitting a batter to start the eighth inning, but Hagen picked up the save by pitching the final two frames to seal the win.

Virginia Tech (3-3) committed three errors in the game, leading to five unearned runs for Charlotte.

Four players had a pair of hits for the 49ers. Aaron Bray, Spencer Steedley and Kris Rochelle were each 2-for-4, while Chris Taylor was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Five different Niner players drove in a run in the game.

The 49ers trailed 5-3 heading to the bottom of the sixth, but would use two Hokie errors to help them take the lead for good.

Steedley led off the inning with a bunt single right in front of home plate, beating out the throw. Chris Taylor then singled to center field. After the first out of the inning, Adam Floyd reached on an error by the Hokie center fielder, who dropped the pop fly. That allowed Steedley to score from second.

After a Virginia Tech pitching change, Alan Parks pinch hit and reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to put runners on the corners and tie the contest at 5-5. Chris Lane would then lay down a perfect sacrifice bunt to push the 6th run across and give his team the lead for good. Cory Lane's double into left field scored Parks to give the Niners a two-run cushion.

They added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Chris Taylor's triple down the right field line was backed up by Rochelle's double.

Hagen allowed just one hit and one walk over the final two innings to seal the win. It was his third save of the season, but the first where he entered in a "traditional" save situation. He picked up a pair of saves earlier in the year by pitching the final three-plus innings of wins for the Niners.

Along with Rosenbaum, Charlotte-area native Michael Maples (Gastonia, N.C.) made his first collegiate appearance on the mound for Charlotte. Maples went 1.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits.

Sam Pierce (Davidson, N.C./North Mecklenburg), another freshman, pitched portions of the second, third and fourth innings and did not allow a run. The three freshman relievers accounted for 5.1 innings, 7 hits, 2 walks and just one run to keep their team in the game.

The Hokies jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first two innings. Tech had four hits in the top of the first, but scored just once on an RBI single. They had five more hits in the top of the second, pushing across three runs with two outs.

Charlotte would battle back to make it a 4-3 game with a trio of two-out scores in the bottom of the fourth. Chris Taylor started the comeback by drawing a full-count walk, before Rochelle's single into center field. Floyd then singled into right center to score Taylor from second. O'Brien Taylor had an RBI single to the left side in the next at bat, and the Hokies' shortstop ended up kicking the ball all the way to the fence beyond third base to allow a second run to score.

Va Tech got a run back in the top half of the fifth inning when Nate Parks' sacrifice fly made it 5-3 Hokies.

The 49ers will play host to Cleveland State this weekend at Tom & Lib Phillips Field, with first pitch on Friday set for 4:00. Saturday and Sunday's games will begin at noon.