Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech pitcher Justin Wright continued his mastery over Wake Forest with a complete-game shutout Friday night as the Hokies opened a three-game ACC series against the Demon Deacons with a 7-0 victory at English Field.
Wright allowed just four hits on the way to earning his third career win against the Demon Deacons and he leveled his season record at 3-3. The junior left-hander retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced, giving up just one single during his last five innings of work. Wright struck out six men and did not walk a batter.
Wright also threw a complete game against Wake Forest last season. In three career appearances against Wake Forest, Wright has allowed just two runs on 14 hits and one walk over 22.1 innings, while striking out 16 batters.
The win improved Tech’s season mark to 15-8 and its ACC record to 3-4. Wake Forest is now 7-16 overall, including a 1-6 record in ACC play.
A pair of Wake Forest throwing errors helped the Hokies stake Wright to an early lead with a four-run third inning. Tech shortstop Tony Balisteri reached on the first of the two miscues with one out in the inning. Consecutive singles by center fielder Sean Ryan, left fielder Buddy Sosnoskie and first baseman Austin Wates led to the first two runs, with Sosnoskie and Wates picking up the RBIs. A two-out intentional walk issued to third baseman Ronnie Shaban loaded the bases, and designated hitter Anthony Sosnoskie’s grounder to short resulted in an errant throw to first that allowed two additional runs to score.
Balisteri’s first home run of the season increased the Tech lead to 6-0 in the sixth. Second baseman Michael Seaborn, whose fly ball to right was lost in the lights and fell for a double, scored ahead of Balisteri’s blow to left field.
Buddy Sosnoskie closed out the Hokies’ scoring in the eighth with a homer to left center, his fourth round-tripper of the season and second in as many games.
Wake Forest pitcher Michael Dimock pitched 6.2 innings and took the loss, falling to 1-4 on the season. Dimock allowed six runs on eight hits, but only three of the runs were earned. He struck out seven batters and issued just one walk.
Buddy Sosnoskie, Wates and Seaborn accounted for six of Tech’s nine hits, with two apiece. Sosnoskie and Balisteri each contributed a pair of runs batted in. Right fielder Mac Williamson produced two of Wake’s four hits, all of which were singles.
Due to rain in the forecast for Sunday, the Hokies and Deacons have agreed to play a double-header on Saturday to conclude the series, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.