Hokie Club
BLACKSBURG – No. 18 Virginia Tech baseball won its first shutout game of the season, 5-0, against Florida State to split the series on Saturday at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
The Hokies (9-4, 5-3 ACC) beat the Seminoles (5-6, 3-5) to improve to 5-3 in ACC play. If Tech wins on Sunday to claim the series, it would mark its first series to its name over Florida State since 2017.
Chris Gerard (2-1) got the start for the Hokies, his third start of the season. He allowed just two hits, no earned runs and eight strikeouts in seven innings, marking the 100th strikeout of his career.
The Hokies scored five runs on four hits, including a home run from Jack Hurley for his third home run of the season.
THE GAME
The Hokies scored their first run in the bottom of the first inning on a fielder's choice to third base, with Hurley crossing the plate. Fritz Genther scored in the bottom of the second for Tech after he stole third and reached home on a throwing error by the catcher to make it 2-0.
Tech would tack on three more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth, with Hurley hitting a homer to straight-away center, Gavin Cross scoring on a throwing error and Carson Jones earning a sac fly to score TJ Rumfield.
Coming in the top of the eighth, Matthew Siverling was steady and allowed no runs and just one hit in 2.0 innings of work to preserve the win.
NOTES
- Tanner Schobel added two more RBIs against Florida State, bringing his season total to 19. TJ Rumfield leads the team with 20 hits, four of those in the two games against the Seminoles.
- Gerard's eight strikeouts brought his season total up to 27 and brings his career total to 100 strikeouts in 19 appearances.
- The last time the Hokies won a series against Florida State was on March 19, 2017 with a 17-0 win in the rubber match over the Seminoles.
- Cross was hit by a pitch twice in Saturday's game against Florida State. He was also hit twice in Game 2 against North Carolina (8-4, 4-3) on March 6 this season.
UP NEXT
Tech will finish the three-game series on Sunday with Game 3 starting at 1 p.m. ET at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park on ACC Network Extra.
Gallery: (3-13-2021) 2021 BASEBALL vs. FLORIDA STATE SATURDAY