A- Line Extra: Hoos Lose 06/18/09

The Hoos reacted to a Tech Internet columnist publicly proclaiming his support by losing to Arkansas in the College World Series.

The announcement by a Tech fan that he was a closet supporter of Hoo baseball had something other than a positive effect on the Hoo team, as a blown late-game lead, a flurry of fielding errors, base-running blunders and a total lack of clutch hitting eliminated Mr. Jefferson’s diamond boys from the CWS.

Hoo baseball coach Brian O’Connor blamed that columnist for the loss. “I had read the team that column prior to the game,” said O’Connor, adding, “in retrospect, it was a mistake. It cost us the game. There were many instances of the team thinking about a Hokie rooting for them affecting their play. A routine grounder to third sailing between the legs of our fielder, guys on base not advancing in critical situations, hitters with runners in scoring position, in each instance all our players could think about was that Tech guy pulling for them. You saw what happened.”

Immediately following the game, Hoo AD Craig ‘Tubby, those Hokies are nothing but trouble’ Littlepage announced a ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy in regard to Hokies rooting for Hoos. “We won’t ask hoo they’re rooting for,” said Littlepage, adding, “Please, please, don’t tell us.”