Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Treated to Jack Hurley's fourth consecutive three-hit game on Sunday, the Virginia Tech baseball team cranked out another nine extra-base swings as the Hokies completed the sweep of Fordham in 7-3 fashion at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Flexing his speed and power, Hurley doubled during each of his first two plate appearances, later stroking the second of back-to-back, seventh-inning home runs between him and Eduardo Malinowski. Tech's sophomore outfielder departed the weekend with team-best season marks in both batting average (.636, 14-for-22) and slugging percentage (1.318), having raked seven extra-base hits this weekend against the Rams.
Fourth-year utility man Nick Biddison went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles from the Hokies' leadoff spot while Tanner Schobel added a 2-for-3 effort that featured his fifth-inning, RBI double.
Virginia Tech (6-0) fell behind for the first time this season during its statistically-counting games as Fordham (1-6) plated a first-inning run against freshman right-hander Drue Hackenberg. C.J. Vazquez and Jack Harnisch opened the game with successive singles with Vazquez eventually coming around to score on Hackenberg's lone wild pitch of the day.
Biddison helped Tech answer back immediately, padding his leadoff walk with a stolen base and a free advance on Andy Semo's errant bid to throw him out at second. Gavin Cross soon followed with an RBI groundout to the right side, leveling the score at 1-1 early.
Hackenberg found trouble again in the second inning as Casey Brown, Cian Sahler and Jake Guercio each singled to load the bases for the Rams with an out on the board. However, clutch defending by the Hokies saved Hackenberg from harm as Biddison's sharp relay to the plate on Vazquez's fly ball baited Fordham into falling for the 9-2-6-5, inning-ending double play.
With Hurley aboard in the second inning following his leadoff double, Conor Hartigan took an 0-2 pitch to the back of the helmet, presenting Tech with a two-on, none-out situation. After Jack Popolizio had balked both runners over, Cade Hunter lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Hurley to put the Hokies on top, 2-1.
Hackenberg preserved Tech's 2-1 lead through the duration of his five-inning start, squandering seven hits yet no walks while striking out four. The rookie right-hander was gifted two insurance runs on his way out of the game as Biddison and Schobel sandwiched fifth-inning doubles around a walk to Cross, helping the Hokies extend their lead to 4-1.
Nick Holesa's two-bagger to open the sixth inning kept Tech's offensive momentum alive down the stretch. Holesa came in to score when Cross bounced a chopper through the right side, turning on the jets with the outfield playing deep for the Hokies' second hustle double of the game.
Graham Firoved relieved Hackenberg with three shutout innings, fanning four batters while scattering two hits.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will host High Point on Tuesday, March 1. First pitch at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Gallery: (2-27-2022) BSB: Fordham Game 3