BLACKSBURG – With fifth-year, left-hand starter Ryan Kennedy setting the tone on Tuesday, the Virginia Tech baseball team earned a marquee midweek victory against East Carolina as the Hokies sunk the Pirates, 7-2, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Making precisely one trip through the batting order, Kennedy collected nine outs with the help of two double plays – one initiated by him to end the visitors' threat during the first inning. Facing a runner at third base in the wake of Bryson Worrell's leadoff double, Tech's southpaw managed to snag a comebacker and double-up Worrell at third base, closing the door on the potential go-ahead score.
Virginia Tech (10-1) plated the game's first runs during the third inning, bringing eight batters to the plate to send East Carolina (6-6) into its bullpen.
After Nick Biddison had singled Sam Tackett into scoring position, Gavin Cross made life tricky for the Pirates, beating out a potential double-play ball shortly before stealing second base. Tanner Schobel proceeded to drop an RBI single into center field, opening the door for Eduardo Malinowski and Jack Hurley to do the same.
Heads-up base running by Schobel helped Tech extend its lead to 4-0 during the fifth inning. Taking second base on Malinowski's infield groundout, Schobel caught ECU napping between plays, promptly stealing the unguarded third base prior to scoring on Hurley's ensuing RBI single.
Unable to crack Henry Weycker during the fourth and fifth innings, East Carolina spurred a two-out rally against him during the sixth inning to halve Tech's lead to 4-2. Worrell's bunt single manifested in a double down the left field line by Lane Hoover, setting the table for Jacob Jenkins-Cowart to deliver his two-RBI single.
Despite the Pirates fighting back, Cross assured Tech an insurance run during the sixth inning, following singles by Carson DeMartini and Tackett with an RBI knock of his own to center field.
Sean Fisher answered the call in the seventh inning, striking out Zach Agnos and Justin Wilcoxen back-to-back before handing the keys to Jonah Hurney midway through the eighth inning. Hurney picked up the game's final four outs, all by strikeout, receiving a two-run insurance home run from DeMartini to ice his first career save with the Hokies.
NOTEWORTHY
• Virginia Tech is 10-1 for the first time since the 2013 season.
• The Hokies are off to their best season start under fifth-year head coach John Szefc.
• Tech's pitching staff combined to log 12 strikeouts on Tuesday – a tie for the second most the Hokies' arms have registered this season (14 – Feb. 19 against UNC Asheville).
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will start ACC action on Friday, March 11, at No. 13 Georgia Tech. First pitch at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Gallery: (3-8-2022) BSB: East Carolina Game