ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, May 13, 1996 TAG: 9605130118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BOYERTOWN, PA.
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
Sophomore pitcher Jon Hand allowed just six hits over eight innings as Virginia Tech advanced to the championship game of the Atlantic 10 baseball tournament with a 4-1 second-round victory over Massachusetts on Sunday.
By winning the game, which was started on Saturday and suspended by rain just three batters into the action, Tech (35-22) is the only unbeaten team in the double-elimination tournament. The Hokies will meet UMass again in the title game today at 11:05 a.m. UMass defeated Xavier 6-1 in an elimination game Sunday night.
A second game will be played today if Tech loses. The tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Hand, a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Woodbridge, struck out five batters and walked none. Hand (7-4) held the Minutemen scoreless over his last six innings after yielding an unearned run in the bottom of the second inning. He surrendered just two hits in his final four innings before giving way to reliever Charlie Gillian, who pitched the ninth inning to post his school single-season record 14th save.
``Jon Hand pitched as well as he possibly could,'' said Chuck Hartman, Tech's head coach. ``The team came out a little tight, and I think Jon's performance helped calm them down.''
Another thing that helped loosen up the Hokies was a two-run homer by freshman left fielder Austin Rappe that gave Tech a 2-1 lead in the third.
Tech increased its lead to 3-1 in the fourth when former William Byrd star Josh Herman singled and eventually scored on a two-out bunt single by shortstop Kevin Kurilla. The Hokies added some insurance in the eighth when center fielder Kevin Barker led off the inning with a triple, then scored on a throwing error by UMass shortstop Brad Gorrie.
Rappe, former Franklin County standout Chad Foutz, Matt Griswold and Kurilla all had two hits for Tech
NOTE: PLease see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Short : 44 linesby CNB