BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech’s Connor Coward tossed a career-high 8.2 frames and, for the third time this season, struck out at least 11 batters. However, a ninth-inning solo home run by Louisville’s Josh Stowers gave the visitors a one-run lead which they held on for to take the first game of the ACC series at English Field at Union Park Friday night by a count of 3-2.
Coward allowed a first-inning RBI single to the fourth batter of the night but then went on to retire 17 of the next 18 Cardinals including, at one point, 15 straight and faced one over the minimum from the second through the seventh.