BLACKSBURG – Scoring during seven of its eight trips to the plate on Tuesday opposite Ryan Kennedy's four shutout innings of relief, the Virginia Tech baseball team successfully defended home field against its New River Valley rival, defeating Radford, 10-3, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Kennedy put Virginia Tech (13-6) on the right track after the Highlanders had struck for two runs during the first inning against right-hander Jackson Ritchey. The fifth-year left-hander needed six pitches to retire Radford (6-14) in order during the second inning, holding the visitors to four hits during his outing while striking out three and walking none.
Tech manufactured its first-inning run without a hit as Nick Biddison walked, stole second base, took 90 feet on a ground ball by Gavin Cross and ultimately scored on Tanner Schobel's sacrifice fly to center field. Redshirt-freshman Sam Tackett helped the Hokies draw even during the second inning, parking his first career home run – a solo shot – over the left field fence to knot the score at 2-2.
Issued a second five-pitch walk during the third inning, Biddison did the legwork putting Tech on top for the first time. After Cross had chopped an infield single deep on the left side to bump him over, Schobel one-hopped the left field wall for an RBI, ground-rule double, rushing the Hokies out to the 3-2 lead.
Tackett earned his second RBI of the game during the fifth inning, lifting a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Cross easily. After Christian Worley had fanned two Radford batters during his scoreless sixth inning on the mound, Cross followed Carson DeMartini's double by rocketing an RBI triple into the right field corner for his fourth three-bagger of the season.
Tech added five late-inning runs to clinch the midweek victory, receiving an RBI single from Cade Hunter and a two-RBI base hit by Conor Hartigan.
Jonah Hurney tossed two scoreless frames down the stretch for the Hokies while the Highlanders managed to plate one ninth-inning run against Jordan Geber.
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Virginia Tech will open a three-game ACC road series at No. 12 Notre Dame on Friday, March 25. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.Gallery: (3-22-2022) BSB: Radford Game