Virginia Tech back at English Field to host Fordham

BLACKSBURG – Gearing up for its second home weekend of the 2022 season, the Virginia Tech baseball team (3-0) will look to further its strong start to the year when the Hokies cross bats with Fordham (1-3) during a three-game series at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park (Feb. 25-27).
 

 
PROBABLE STARTERS
• Friday:  Griffin Green (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Gabe Karslo (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
• Saturday:  Ryan Okuda (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Brooks Ey (0-1, 7.20 ERA)
• Sunday:  TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

ENGLISH FIELD VISITORS GUIDE
Click here to review the 2022 English Field Visitors Guide to access information on ballpark access, cashless concession stands, fan-friendly concession pricing, alcohol sales, clear bag policies, indoor mask mandates, gameday parking and more.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW
• Explosive Start:  Despite Tuesday's rainout, Virginia Tech's offense is still fresh off doing everything right during its season-opening sweep of UNC Asheville. As a team, the Hokies nearly hit .400 across their three victories (42-for-107, .393), yielding nine doubles, a triple and seven home runs to slug .692 against the Bulldogs – currently the fifth best mark among NCAA Division I programs. Tech's patience at the plate manifested in 18 walks and helped boost its on-base percentage to .485, which ranks 10th best nationally. Third-year catcher Cade Hunter led the Hokies' contingent of seven players that recorded four or more hits against UNC Asheville. Hunter batted 5-for-7 (.714) across his two starts behind the dish, staging one of Tech's more memorable Opening Day performances: a 4-for-4 outing comprised of four extra-base hits (two doubles, two home runs). True freshman Carson DeMartini and fifth-year transfer Eduardo Malinowski made immediate impacts during their debuts with the Hokies; both players homered on Opening Day while DeMartini added a second home run on Feb. 19.

• Bringing the Heat:  Overshadowed by its flourishing offense last weekend, Tech received three sound starts from its season-opening rotation that combined to record 17 strikeouts and allow four hits – all singles – across 15 shutout innings. Sophomore right-hander Griffin Green (4-0 career record) and freshman righty Drue Hackenberg each won their first career decisions as starting pitchers while fifth-year, left-hand senior Ryan Okuda squeezed eight strikeouts between them during Saturday's middle game. Together, the trio of Hokies allowed only one base runner to advance beyond second base (by error), facing the minimum during 10 of their 15 innings on the bump. Considering Tech's complete pitching staff, five hurlers made their debuts with the Hokies, including fifth-year transfers Sean Fisher (scoreless relief inning) and Ryan Kennedy. Tech's 2.67 team ERA ranks among the top 40 pitching staffs nationally.

• We Have History:  Virginia Tech's history with Fordham dates back to the late 1990s when both programs overlapped in the Atlantic 10 between 1996 and 2000. Despite five seasons together, the Hokies and the Rams met during only one cross-divisional regular season series in 1998 (in Blacksburg), later contesting the 1998 Atlantic 10 championship game against each other at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Tech is seeking its first wins against Fordham during its ACC tenure as the two sides resume their all-time series for the first time since 2008. Last weekend, the Rams fought valiantly during their true road series at Texas A&M, dropping Saturday's middle game, 5-3, before being walked off on Sunday by the Aggies, 5-4, courtesy of Logan Britt's two-run homer. Fordham ran wild over Sacred Heart during Wednesday's 19-0 victory that featured two seven-run rallies.

UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will continue its 12-game, season-opening home stand on Tuesday, March 1, when Tech hosts High Point during midweek action. First pitch between the Hokies and the Panthers at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.