Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Dropping eight of its 11 hits for extra bases on Friday, the Virginia Tech baseball team plated 10-plus runs for the third time through four games as the Hokies shut out Fordham, 12-0, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley led Virginia Tech (4-0) with his first career multi-homer game – part of his 3-for-3, three-RBI day that included a ground-rule double. Hurley opened the scoring for Tech with his second-inning solo shot, later clearing the left field fence a second time on his two-run bomb during the sixth inning.
Eduardo Malinowski's third-inning home run off the left field light stanchion capped the Hokies' four-run frame that cushioned the hosts' lead to 5-0. Fortunes had been on Tech's side earlier in the inning when Carson DeMartini reached on a fluke infield double off the first base umpire, introducing the top of the Hokies' batting order.
Leadoff outfielder Nick Biddison proceeded to push Tech's lead to 2-0 when his screaming RBI single one-hopped directly in front of the Rams' shortstop, C.J. Vazquez. After Biddison had stolen second base, third-year outfielder Gavin Cross shuttled a 2-1 pitch off Gabe Karslo to right center for an RBI triple – his second three-bagger across his two 2022 appearances.
Tanner Schobel's bases-clearing, three-RBI double was the highlight moment of Tech's five-run eighth inning that clinched the victory. Christian Martin soon followed with a pinch-hit, RBI double to close the scoring, padding more than enough insurance for the Hokies' arms to seal the result.
Griffin Green started Tech's two-hit shutout, racking up five strikeouts across six pristine innings. Jonah Hurney struck out five of the six batters he faced across two flawless innings while Sean Fisher tallied two strikeouts during the ninth inning.
Jack Harnisch and Jake Guercio registered the only two hits of the game for Fordham (1-4), the first of which was batted inside Tech's defensive shift during the fourth inning.
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Game two between Virginia Tech and Fordham is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m.Gallery: (2-25-2022) BSB: Fordham Game 1