Dukes on Wrong Side of Back-and-Forth Game with Virginia Tech

Wednesday, April 27

Blacksburg, Va.

7 p.m.

James Madison University

23-18

Virginia Tech

29-9

James Madison

Virginia Tech

Dukes on Wrong Side of Back-and-Forth Game with Virginia Tech

4/27/2022 11:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. – James Madison baseball and Virginia Tech went back-and-forth for just over three-and-a-half hours, but the Dukes came up on the wrong side as they fell, 11-8, on Wednesday night at the Atlantic Union Bank Park.

The Dukes' four-game winning streak was snapped as they dropped to 23-18. The Hokies extended their winning streak to six and move to 29-9.

Redshirt sophomore CJ Czerwinski started and went 3.1 innings while tossing a career-high five strikeouts. At the plate, redshirt junior Kyle Novak led the team going 3-for-4 with a double and a season-high four RBI's.

How It Happened
After a scoreless first inning, Virginia Tech took the first lead of the game in the second inning on a double that was followed by a single for a 2-0 lead. JMU responded with three runs in the top of the third, as Novak hit a two-run double and then scored on an error on the catcher trying to throw him out at third.

Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, the Hokies retook the lead with four runs as they scored on a sacrifice fly, a single, and then on a force out that turned into an error trying to turn a double play for a 6-3 lead. Another Hokie run would be added in the fifth for a 7-3 lead on a wide throw to first from second.

The Dukes responded big in the sixth, scoring four runs to tie the game. After a pair of singles put two on, freshman Jason Schiavone singled in freshman Fenwick Trimble. Redshirt junior Nick Zona drew a walk to loaded the bases before classmate Trevon Dabney drew a walk himself to bring in a run. Novak then singled to second to score redshirt sophomore Mason Dunaway and Schiavone, who made an aggressive decision to come home and knot the game at seven.

The Hokies retook the lead with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but JMU once again quickly responded by scoring a run themselves in the seventh to tie the game at eight. Virginia Tech though would find a way to knock in three runs in the seventh to take the lead for a final time, 11-8. Jonah Hurney tossed 2.1 innings of relief to earn the win for the Hokies.

Game Notes

Kyle Novak turned in his first four-RBI game of the season, the seventh overall four-RBI game from a Duke this season. Novak was one hit and RBI shy of tying his career-highs.
Fenwick Trimble extended his reached base streak to 20 games.

Up Next
The Dukes will continue their 11-game road trip as they face off against Presbyterian over the weekend. The two teams will square off in a doubleheader on Saturday April 30 beginning at 2 p.m., with a single game on Sunday, May 1.