Tech to host first weekend series in Blacksburg against BryantTech to host first weekend series in Blacksburg against Bryant
Baseball

Tech to host first weekend series in Blacksburg against Bryant

BLACKSBURG - In its first home weekend series, the Virginia Tech baseball team will welcome the Bryant Bulldogs for three games. The series will open on Friday afternoon with a new first pitch time of 2 p.m., while Saturday's game is now scheduled for a 4 p.m. start. The series will conclude on Sunday with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. The Hokies are looking to extend a three-game winning streak, while Bryant has won 2-of-3 after starting the year off with four straight losses.

Virginia Tech (4-3) vs. Bryant (2-5)
Feb. 28-March 1, 2020
English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park
Blacksburg, Virginia

Gameday Information
TV Broadcast: Friday/Sunday - ACC Network Extra; Saturday - ACC Network
     Links: Friday; Saturday; Sunday
Audio Broadcast (all): VT/IMG Radio Network TuneIn App, online or locally on WRAD-FM 101.7
Live Stats (all): VT Sidearm Stats Click here
Tech game notes: Click here
Bryant game notes: Click here

Series History
Games: 10
Overall Record: 4-6 (40.0%), Lost 1
Home: 4-6 (40.0%), Lost 1
Away: N/A
Under Coach Szefc: 1-2 (33.3%), Lost 1

Leap Day Game

  • In the rare Feb. 29 game, the Hokies are 2-3, last beating Central Connecticut State 11-3 at home in 2008 - it's only prior home game in Blacksburg on Leap Day.

Hokies face Bryant in three-game series

  • For the second straight season, Virginia Tech will welcome the Bryant Bulldogs for a three-game series at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. The Bulldogs took the series last year (March 1-2) by winning the rubber match 4-2, the second game of a doubleheader. 
  • Bryant holds a 6-4 edge in the all-time series which began with a single game in 2009 (March 9, a 7-5 Bulldog win). Since, the teams split a pair of games in 2010 (March 9-10) and split back-to-back doubleheaders in 2011 (March 4-5). 

Home Sweet Home in February:

  • Since 2010, Tech is 9-2 in home openers and have won five straight after its 10-3 victory over ETSU (Feb. 18). In those five wins, the Hokies have outscored their opponents by a 40-8 count and have tossed two shutouts.
  • Overall, in program history in February, Tech holds a 115-59 record (66.1%), but when it comes to playing in Blacksburg during the month, the team is far better.  The Hokies are 29-3 (90.6%) in home games played in the month. Tech has won 15 straight dating back to the 2013 home opener (a 7-3 loss to Temple on Feb. 23) and included a program-tying best four wins last year (also accomplished in 2009).
  • Lastly, last Tuesday's home opener was the earliest for the Hokies since their first ever season of baseball. Tech played Newports in Blacksburg on Feb. 2, 1892 and had not played a home game earlier then Feb. 21 before last year - a 9-3 win over ETSU on Feb. 19.

Seymour recognized for performances last week

  • Due to a rainout on Feb. 16, Sunday starter Ian Seymour made his 2020 debut against ETSU two days later and tossed three innings in Tech's home opener, then made his Sunday start against Louisiana on Feb. 23.
  • Overall, Seymour posted a 2-0 mark, threw 9.0 innings, allowed just four hits, one walk and one earned run while striking out 17 batters - including a career-high tying 11 Ragin' Cajuns in six innings of work. He struck out 11 Miami Hurricanes over 7.1 innings on April 26, 2018.
  • For his effort, Seymour was named one of 15 Collegiate Baseball's National Players of the Week.
  • The Tech pitching staff was dominant on the mound the entire weekend as nine Hokies combined to allow just one earned run and strike out 41 batters in 26 total innings of work as the team won their first road series since at Pitt (March 15-17) last year.

2019 pitching staff turns in one of its best seasons ever

  • Last year, the Hokies enjoyed one of their most successful pitching seasons ever turned in by a Tech staff in its history since the program joined the ACC (15 years). First, the team's final overall ERA of 3.98 was the best ever in that time frame. In fact, the Hokies had not posted a sub-4.00 ERA since 1984 (3.80) - the lowest since was 4.10 in 1995. 
  • The team also finished second all-time in strikeouts (495), with the 2010 squad holding the top mark ever with 530. The previous high was 461 (1988). Below are other notables for the staff (since 2005):
  • Lowest ERA: 1. 3.98 (2019); 2. 4.14 (2013)
  • Opp. BA: 1. .243 (2019); 2. .257 (2012)
  • Most K/9: 1. 9.51 (2019); 2. 8.72 (2010)
  • Few. hits allowed: 1. 428 (2019); 2. 474 (2012)
  • Few. runs: 1. 237 (2019); 2. 263 (2012)
  • Few. earned runs: 1. 207 (2019); 2. 225 (2012)

2019 team fielding sets records, too

  • Tech fielded one of its best defensive teams ever in 2019. Its fielding percentage of .975 was four points better than the previous school record of .971 set by the 2012 squad.
  • The Hokies' 49 errors were the fewest since the team has been playing in the ACC (2012, 62).