BLACKSBURG – Kevin Madden scored the first and last run in a nine-run second inning, capping the onslaught with a three-run home run, as the Virginia Tech baseball team won its home opener over ETSU on Tuesday evening at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
With the win, Tech improves to 9-2 in home openers since 2010 and includes five straight victories – the Hokies have outscored their opponents 40-8 in those five contests. Tech is also now 28-3 in home games played in the month of February and extended its win streak to 14 straight dating back to the 2013 home opener, a 7-3 loss to Temple on Feb. 23.
Ian Seymour (1-0) started the game on the mound for Tech and tossed two perfect innings with five strikeouts before the Hokies offense went to work in the home half of the second.
Madden drew a one-out walk, moved to third on Gavin Cross' first of three hits in the game, then scored when ETSU threw home on a Jason Rooks chopper to third – Madden beat the tag.
Colby Stuart (0-1) would get the second out of the frame before the Hokies went walk, error, walk, walk to load the bases. Spencer Palmer single home two before Madden hit his fourth career home run to make it 9-0.
Seymour would finish the game with six strikeouts over three innings, while Peyton Alford (2.0 IP) struck out five. The pair each struck out the side as Seymour did it for the 10th time in his career and Alford his second. Jaison Heard worked a scoreless sixth, while Matthew Siverling, Stephen Restuccio and Peter Sakellaris all made their Hokies debuts and Zach Brzykcy also saw his first action of the spring.
In the sixth, Carson Taylor hit a solo home run to finish off Tech's scoring. It was the third home run of his Hokies career.
ETSU (3-1) had three players with a multi-hit night, led by Noah Hill, who had two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Jake Lyle also had two hits and an RBI.
This was the fifth straight win for Tech over the Buccaneers in Blacksburg, and the team is now 9-1 against ESTU over the last 10 meetings.
Tech (1-2) returns to action on Friday, Feb. 21 as the team travels to Lafayette, Louisiana for the first time ever to take on the Ragin' Cajuns in a three-game series at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.Gallery: (2/18/2020) 2020 BASEBALL vs. ETSU