BLACKSBURG – For the first time this season, the Virginia Tech baseball team faced a deficit after the fifth inning and came back to win. The Hokies trailed visiting Georgia Tech, ranked No. 11 in the country, 2-1, before Tanner Thomas' two-run home run in the sixth inning.
The Hokies' bullpen, who tossed a combined 4.2 scoreless innings, closed things out as Virginia Tech opened its three-game ACC series at English Field at Union Park on Thursday night by recording a 3-2 victory, its third over a ranked opponent this year.
Carson Taylor, who had two hits on the night, hit a solo home run in the first to give the Hokies an early 1-0 lead. It was the freshman's second long ball of the season, as he hit his first just two weeks ago at Wake Forest.
Virginia Tech starter Ian Seymour scattered two hits and three walks over the first four frames to hold the Yellow Jackets scoreless. He also got a double play ball to end the second, the fourth turned behind him this year, the 11th of his career.
Georgia Tech (25-13, 11-8 ACC), though, chased him in the fifth, using a Luke Waddell sacrifice fly to tie the game, scoring Jackson Webb, and then loaded the bases with just the one out.
Connor Yoder went strikeout, walk - which gave the visitors a 2-1 lead - strikeout, as he stranded the bases loaded with the second K.
Jaison Heard took over in the sixth and faced his own jam, with runners on the corners and just one out. However, a fly to center and a throw from Nick Biddison to Taylor at the plate resulted in the team's second double play of the night and ended a scoreless frame.
With one out in the home half, Biddison drew a walk and Thomas followed with the two-run home run, his second of the year and first since Feb. 24, to put the Hokies in front 3-2.
Tech (22-16, 7-12 ACC) used Peyton Alford (1.1 innings) and Jack Dellinger (1.2) over the final three innings to close out the game. The two combined to retire nine of the last 10 Yellow Jackets, including eight straight to end the night.
Heard improved to 2-0 with the victory, while Dellinger earned his first save of the year. Xzavion Curry dropped his record to 4-2 with the loss.
Hokies' notes
- The team has surpassed its win total from last season (21).
- The team has now turned 29 double plays this season.
- The Hokies entered the night 0-8 when trailing after the fifth inning.
- The team is 6-4 in one-run games, opposed to 5-11 last year.
- The Hokies have five outfield assists this year. It was the first for Biddison.
- It was Taylor's 11th multi-hit game of the season.
- Biddison also had a multi-hit game, the eighth of his season.
- Thomas registers his fifth multi-RBI game of the year, while also notching a team-high tying third game-winning RBI.
- Jack Owens had a single in the fifth, the 175th hit of his Hokies' career.
Up Next
The Hokies and Yellow Jackets will return to action for the second game of the ACC series on Friday, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. at English Field at Union Park.
A reminder to fans looking to attend any of this weekend's games against the Tigers (or any other ACC weekend contests in 2019), tickets are required for ACC home games this season. CLICK HERE to purchase in advance.
Gallery: (4/18/2019) 2019 BASEBALL vs. GEORGIA TECH THURSDAY