Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Speeding around the bases on Wednesday afternoon, the Virginia Tech baseball team completed its two-game, midweek sweep of Norfolk State with another comfortable victory, downing the Spartans, 15-5, during a seven-inning game shortened by run rule at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Junior second baseman Jared Davis batted 4-for-5 from the Hokies’ leadoff spot, finishing a triple short of hitting for the cycle. Davis (who scored four runs, stole three bases and tallied three RBIs) hit a solo home run during the fourth inning – his first at the NCAA Division I level – before smacking a two-RBI double down the left field line during the fifth inning as the hosts piled on the run support.
As a team, Virginia Tech (10-3) stole eight bases during Wednesday’s win, tying the program’s ACC-era record first set on Feb. 28, 2020, against Bryant. Sam Tackett achieved a career high by matching Davis with three thefts while Garrett Michel and Cam Pittman rounded out the Hokies’ base stealing frenzy.
Jamal Ritter’s two-out RBI single during the top of the first inning provided Norfolk State (0-10) its first and only lead of the two-game series as the Spartans held onto their 1-0 lead into the third inning. Virginia Tech had a chance to creep in front during the bottom of the second inning with one out and the bases loaded, though squandered its rally when Henry Cooke was put out, 9-2, at home while trying to tag on Clay Grady’s fly out to right field.
Shaking off misfortune, the Hokies loaded the bases three batters into the bottom of the third inning, this time rattling Norfolk State for six runs (five earned).
After David Lewis had delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly to center field, Cooke redeemed himself by rocketing an RBI double to left field, scoring Davis and handing Virginia Tech its first lead at 2-1. Two batters later, Tackett arrived at the plate with a pair of Hokies in scoring position, singling them both in with his two-RBI single to left field that pushed the hosts’ lead at the time to 5-1.
Keeping the Spartans alive, first baseman Collin Curry answered Virginia Tech’s six-run third inning with an RBI double during the top of the fourth inning, soon scoring on a wild pitch to trim the margin to 6-3. However, three big swings by the Hokies resulted in their reinstating of a five-run cushion – a solo home run by Davis followed by a double by David McCann and an RBI single by Lewis.
After inclement weather had halted play for one hour and 10 minutes during the fourth inning, Virginia Tech returned during the fifth inning to rally for four more runs, building the 12-3 advantage and carrying it into the seventh inning.
There, Norfolk State scratched across two runs, receiving a table-setting double by Jaydan Israel and an RBI double by Justin Journette. However, Lewis pulled the plug on the Spartans with his three-run, game-clinching home run to left field, vaulting the Hokies to walk off as 15-5 victors via run rule.
Virginia Tech's offense benefitted from 13 walks, striking out once during 24 at-bats. In turn, the Hokies' quartet of arms - comprised Josh Berzonski, Marcel Kulik, Brendan Cowen and Cade Drohan - combined to strike out eight Norfolk State batters while walking two.
POSTGAME QUOTES
"We've seen a lot of things in the 13 games leading up to ACC play and that one was valuable, in a weird kind of way. Now is when you get to see what kind of growth we've had and where we're at. I think we've put ourselves in the best place we can over 13 games and we will see where it goes from here." - Head coach John Szefc
"We want to go out there and attack; be the aggressors; not let anything come to us. That's when we play our best, when we go out there and are running, bunting, hitting homers. We're trying to get on the board first an play with the lead." - Redshirt-senior outfielder Sam Tackett