Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Piling on the scoring during Sunday's series finale, the Virginia Tech baseball team brought out the brooms during the opening weekend of the 2022 season as the Hokies defeated UNC Asheville, 10-4, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley went 3-for-3 from the 5-hole and stole two bases for Virginia Tech (3-0) as the Hokies posted crooked numbers during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Rookie infielder Carson DeMartini followed home runs on Friday and Saturday with a 2-for-4 performance on Sunday while Conor Hartigan, Lucas Donlon (2-for-2, 2 RBI) and Tanner Schobel each came through with RBI doubles during the finale.
Making his first collegiate start, true freshman Drue Hackenberg was perfect through three innings, settling for a hit, a walk and four strikeouts across five shutout frames. Hackenberg navigated out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth inning, later handing Tech's 8-0 lead to the bullpen at the start of the sixth inning.
UNC Asheville (0-3) earned two runs back on consecutive bases-loaded walks in the seventh inning. Starting left-hander Bryce Fisher was charged for four runs, having exited before Donlon and Nick Biddison's sacrifice flies had pushed Tech's lead to 5-0.
Sean Fisher blanked the Bulldogs during the eighth inning before Dominic Freeberger managed to slap a two-RBI single off Grant Umberger in the ninth inning to close the scoring.
NOTEWORTHY
• Virginia Tech combined to outscore UNC Asheville, 35-8, across the teams' three-game series. The Hokies outhit the Bulldogs, 42-16.
• Tech's three starting pitchers against UNC Asheville (Griffin Green, Ryan Okuda, Drue Hackenberg) combined to toss 15 scoreless innings, allowing four hits, three walks and totaling 17 strikeouts.
• The Hokies combined to bat 6-for-12 (.500) with runners in scoring position on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will host ETSU (3-0) on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 4 p.m.
Gallery: (2-20-2022) BSB: UNC Asheville Game 3