Some days one hit is enough to win a game. On other days not even 14 will get the job done.
Such was the case for the Virginia baseball team yesterday as it lost a tough game to James Madison, 4-3, at U.Va. Baseball Field.
Virginia (19-21) scattered 14 hits over nine innings but left 15 men on base and could not follow Sunday's success against North Carolina with a win. The Cavaliers haven't been able to put together back-to-back victories since their March 30 win against Georgia Tech and have lost 11 of their last 13 since then. Dukes pitcher Mitch Maley (1-0) picked up the win with one inning of scoreless relief.
Meanwhile, James Madison (22-16-1) has won six of its last eight and had an answer, and a little luck, for everything Virginia threw at them.
With the game tied 3-3, the Dukes scored the winning run in the top of the eighth inning on an error. Madison senior Greg Miller scored from third base after Cavs shortstop Hunter Wyant bobbled a grounder and put James Madison ahead for good.
Virginia missed a great chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth with two men in scoring position, but failed to come through with a timely hit.
"The story of today's game was we just could not get a clutch hit," Cavaliers coach Dennis Womack said. "We had a well-pitched game. We had great opportunities. One big base hit today and we probably have a real good chance to win the game."
Virginia starter Canon Hickman pitched six solid innings until he ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. With a man on second, JMU freshman Alan Lindsey smacked a triple to the right-center field wall to give the Dukes a 2-1 lead. Lindsey later scored on a sacrifice fly by Brent Metheny after senior reliever Will Parker (0-1) replaced Hickman and took the loss.
Down 3-1, the Cavaliers managed to climb their way back into the game in the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Mark Rueffert sent a solo shot over the left-field wall for his fifth home run of the season. Virginia tied it up, 3-3, later in the inning when Dan Street scored on a double from sophomore Doug Vroman.
"We hit the ball, we just couldn't string them together," Rueffert said. "Not to put our team down, but that's pretty ridiculous. Fifteen guys left on base is a lot, especially when you have 14 hits."
Though an ACC weekend home stand with Maryland looms on the horizon, Virginia must remain focused on another in-state rival at Virginia Tech at 3 p.m. today. Virginia got the best of the Hokies in their first meeting April 11 by winning 7-4 and look to sweep the series in Blacksburg.
"Maryland is in the ACC and those are always tough games, and we always want to win those games," Reuffert said. "But, Virginia Tech we take that as seriously as a conference game. They're always important."
Although the Cavaliers hope that they can hit the Hokie pitchers like they did the JMU pitchers, they would like to see a different result.
"If we can throw the ball as well as we did today and we get 14 hits down there, I bet you that we'll win," Womack said. "I can't tell you that's what we're going to do, but I'll take our chances with giving the other team four runs and us take 14 hits every day of the week"
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