CONWAY, S.C. – The Virginia Tech baseball team jumped out to a four-run lead after four innings, but San Diego State scored seven unanswered over the seventh and eighth frames and then held on for a 7-5 victory in the first game of the 2020 Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach tournament held at Springs Brooks Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Tech starter Chris Gerard struck out five Aztecs over 5.1 scoreless frames as the Hokies gave him four runs of support. It was Gerard's eighth career start he tossed at least 5.0 innings, while it was his third career game with at least five strikeouts.
Offensively for the Hokies, Gavin Cross had an RBI single in the first, Spencer Palmer laced a two-out, two RBI double to right center in the second and Brennan Reback added an RBI single in the fourth to build the four-run lead.
Six Hokies registered multi-hit games as Tech pounded out 13 hits in the game, however the team stranded several men in scoring position which allowed San Diego State to stay within striking distance.
The Aztecs (1-0) used a three-run home run by Matt Rudick to open the seventh, then an error allowed them to take a 5-4 lead. They added two insurance runs on another Tech error in the eighth, taking a 7-4 advantage into the ninth.
Kevin Madden singled home Palmer to cut the deficit to a pair. Palmer finished with two hits, two RBI and two runs scored in his Hokies' debut. Tech would get the tying run on first base when Nick Biddison singled for a second time before Casey Schmitt finished off the game with a grounder back to himself to secure the Aztec win.
Tech (0-1) will head back to the field on Saturday to face UNC Greensboro as the teams open the second day of the tournament hosted Coastal Carolina. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.Gallery: (2/14/2020) 2020 BASEBALL OPENER vs. SAN DIEGO STATE