Liberty University
13-6
Virginia Tech
10-10
Sankey Belts Two Home Runs as Liberty Downs Virginia Tech, 12-5
3/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Catcher Becker Sankey hit two home runs, one a grand slam, and second baseman Nick Salisbury collected four hits, helping to power the Liberty Flames past the Virginia Tech Hokies, 12-5, Tuesday evening at English Field. With the win, Liberty extends it winning streak to a season-high seven games.
Sankey collected three hits and a career-high five RBI in the game. The catcher hit a solo home run in the second, his third of the year, and the first grand slam of his career in the ninth, his fourth homer of 2015.
Salisbury had two doubles, a triple and singled for the first four-hit game of his career. The second baseman also scored a career-high three times in the victory.
Liberty moves to 13-6 on the season. It was the Flames' first win in Blacksburg, Va., since 2008. Virginia Tech, who is fresh off a three-game weekend ACC sweep of previously No. 1 ranked Virginia, falls to 10-10 on the year.
Liberty jumped out to an advantage in the top of the second. Sankey led off the inning with a home run over the left field wall for the contest's first run. Two batters later, right fielder Will Shepherd, back in the Liberty lineup for the first time since March 2, singled and advanced to third on a single by left fielder Ashton Perritt.
After Perritt was caught stealing, center fielder Aaron Stroosma drew a two-out walk. With Salisbury at the plate, a throwing error by Hokies catcher Joe Freiday, Jr. on a steal attempt by Stroosma, allowed Shepherd to score and Stroosma to move to third. Salisbury then doubled to plate Stroosma for a 3-0 lead. First baseman Alex Close followed with a run-scoring single for 4-0 advantage.
Liberty added to its lead in the fifth. Salisbury led off the inning by lining a triple into right-center field gap. Close followed with ground out to score Salisbury, giving the Flames a 5-0 advantage.
In its next at bat, Liberty plated two more runs. Sankey lined a double into the left field corner to open the sixth and advanced to third on a fielding error by Virginia Tech first baseman Brendon Hayden on a ground ball hit by shortstop Dalton Britt.
After Britt moved to second on a wild pitch, Sankey scored on a ground out by Shepherd for a 6-0 Flames advantage. Later in the frame, a passed ball allowed Britt to come home for a 7-0 lead.
The Hokies plated their first run of the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out, second baseman Erik Payne singled and advanced to second on a ground out. Pinch hitter Phil Sciretta followed with a run-scoring single to make it, 7-1 Flames.
After Virginia Tech scored a run on a double play in the eighth, Liberty tallied five in the top of the ninth. Salisbury led off the inning with his second double of the game and scored on a single by Close. Later in the frame with the base loaded with Flames, Sankey blasted his second round tripper of the game over the left field wall for a 12-2 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, the Hokies plated three runs on a home run by catcher Andrew Moog, a single and a walk with the bases loaded for the final score of 12-5.
Liberty starting pitcher Michael Stafford improves to 2-1 on the season. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits over a career-high seven innings. He struck out a career-high seven and walked three batters.
Virginia Tech starting pitcher Joey Sullivan drops to 0-3 on the year. He gave up four runs on six hits over two innings. He struck out three batters and walked two.
Liberty collected 14 hits in the contest. Close had three hits and three RBI for the Flames. Virginia Tech record 11 hits.
Liberty will next open Big South Conference play, this weekend. The Flames travel to Radford, Va., for a three-game weekend series. The series begins Friday at RU Baseball Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stafford, Michael (2-1)
L: Sullivan, J. (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Salisbury, Nick 2 ; Yacyk, Andrew 1 ; Sankey, Becker 1
3B: Salisbury, Nick 1
HR: Sankey, Becker 2
RBI: Salisbury, Nick 1 ; Close, Alex 3 ; Sankey, Becker 5 ; Shepherd, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stroosma, Aaron 1 ; Salisbury, Nick 3 ; Close, Alex 1 ; Yacyk, Andrew 1 ; Keranen, Clay 1 ; Sankey, Becker 3 ; Britt, Dalton 1 ; Shepherd, Will 1
CS: Close, Alex 1 ; Perritt, Ashton 1
Batting:
2B: Ceballos, M. 1
HR: Mogg, A. 1
RBI: Hayden, B. 1 ; Sciretta, P. 1 ; Mogg, A. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bible, L. 1 ; Ceballos, M. 1 ; Payne, E. 1 ; Mogg, A. 1 ; Tufts, R. 1
