Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech baseball team's homestand at English Field at Union Park will continue this weekend with a three-game series with the Bryant Bulldogs now starting Friday at 6 p.m. (PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE) and will run through Sunday, with a first pitch slated for Noon. The team found itself with an unexpected seven-game homestand due to weather in the region last weekend, but it will come to a conclusion after this weekend's set with Bryant. The Hokies will open ACC play next weekend, traveling to Tallahassee, Florida to take on the nationally-ranked Seminoles
Virginia Tech vs. Bryant
March 1-3, 2019
English Field at Union Park
Blacksburg, Virginia
Gameday Links
Stats (all three games): http://vthoki.es/19BB-LiveStats
Audio (all three games): http://vthoki.es/19BB-LiveAudio
Video: ACC Network Extra: Game 1; Game 2; WatchESPN - Game 3
Tech Game Notes (PDF)
Bryant Game Notes (PDF)
English Field at Union Park - FAQs
Facing the Bulldogs: The Hokies have not faced Bryant since the 2011 season - a four-game series that featured a pair of doubleheaders on March 4 and March 5. Tech lost the opener, 3-2, won back-to-back shutouts, 4-0 and 15-0, then lost the final game by a 5-2 count.
Overall, the two sides have faced each other just seven times with Bryant holding the edge at 4-3 despite all seven games being played in Blacksburg. The other three games were played March 9, 2009 (lost 7-5); March 9, 2010 (won 5-4) and March 10, 2010 (lost 5-3).
While Tech head coach John Szefc was at Maryland, his team actually faced Bryant three times and held an 8-1 overall mark against the Bulldogs under his direction (2017 - 3-0; 2016 - 2-1; 2014 - 3-0).
Home Sweet Home in February: The calendar turned to March 1 for the opening of this series with Bryant and unfortunately for the Hokies, they must say goodbye to the month of February. Overall in program history in the month, Tech holds a 111-56 record (.665 winning percentage), but when it comes to playing in Blacksburg during February, the team is much better.
The Hokies have posted a 27-3 record (.900 winning percentage) in home games played in the month and have won 13 straight dating back to their 2013 home opener against Temple (Feb. 23 a 7-3 defeat) and includes a program tying best four this season - the team also won four at home in February 2009.
Starting 5-0 and beyond: Tech has started the 2019 season with seven straight wins for the first time since 1987 and just the fourth time in program history, however, even a 5-0 start to the season is rare at the school. Only 13 times in 126 seasons of baseball has the team been 5-0, and only six of those teams won their sixth game of the year to get to 6-0.
Looking beyond, the 1987 team started the year 8-0 before its first loss, while both the 1920 and 1915 squads raced out to 10-0 marks. Only the 1915 team, which finished a perfect 21-0, won its first 11 games of the year. Throwing a monkey wrench into the equation, the 1992 season, the Hokies were 5-0, tied their sixth game and were unbeaten after 11 games holding a 10-0-1 mark before their first loss.
It's early, but of the 13 teams that started the season 5-0 and played at least 20 games, all except one (2017) finished 10 or more games above .500 and the last five (minus 2017) won at least 32 games.