BLACKSBURG – Trailing 1-0 during the seventh-inning stretch, the Virginia Tech baseball team sent nine Hokies to the plate in the home half of the frame and scored three times to take their first lead of the contest. Zach Brzykcy then got the final five outs to pick up his first save of the year as the Hokies defeated crosstown-rival Radford at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park on Tuesday evening.
With the wins, Tech notches its third straight win in the series and its third straight win overall and improve to 4-3, while the Highlanders dropped to 3-5.
Perfect through the first three innings, Tech starter Ryan Okuda allowed three straight two-out hits as Radford plated the first run of the afternoon on an RBI double by J.D. Mundy. Reliever Matthew Siverling tossed two scoreless frames to keep it a 1-0 deficit.
In the seventh, pinch-hitter Jonah Seagears drew a walk and moved to second on a passed ball. Reagan Teegarden doubled him home in the next at-bat and Fritz Genther followed with his first collegiate RBI on a single to right. With two outs and the bases loaded, Carson Taylor drew a walk to push the Tech lead to 3-1.
Radford's Garrett Matheny tripled with one out in the eighth and scored on an Anthony Galati RBI single to pull the Highlanders to within one.
Brzykcy was then called in from the bullpen, Tech's fifth pitcher of the night, and ended the frame with a double play and finished the game in the ninth with back-to-back strikeouts to pick up his fourth career save. Peyton Alford improved to 1-0 with the win in relief, the second of his Tech career.
Quick notes:
- In the 63rd meeting between the two schools, Tech improves to 48-12 all-time with the victory.
- Overall, the Hokies are now 27-3 all-time in Blacksburg against Radford, including winners of five straight.
- Tech is now 29-3 in its history in home games during the month of February and includes a 15 game-winning streak.
Inside the box
- Nick Biddison: two hits, team-leading third multi-hit game of the season (15 in career)
- Lucas Donlon: first collegiate start.
- Carson Jones: first collegiate hit.
- Okuda: first start of the year, (3 in career); season-high 4.0 innings pitched, seventh time in career has thrown 4.0-plus innings; 12th career game with at least three strikeouts.
- Siverling: season-high 2.0 innings pitched; second multi-K game of year.
- Teegarden: double, third of the season (5 in career); two hits, first multi-hit game of the season (3 in career).
Up Next:
Tech will remain in Blacksburg to complete its four-game homestand with a three-game series against Bryant this weekend at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch on Friday and Saturday is 4 p.m. – please note the time change for Saturday – while Sunday is at 1 p.m.Gallery: (2/25/2020) 2020 BASEBALL vs. RADFORD