Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Racking up 13 runs behind freshman right-hander Drue Hackenberg's eight-inning masterpiece on Friday, the No. 21 Virginia Tech baseball team steamrolled No. 2 Miami for the second straight night, emphatically defeating the Hurricanes, 13-2, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
With the victory, Virginia Tech (23-8, 9-6 ACC) clinched its first series win against a D1Baseball top-five opponent since 2017 when the Hokies took two out of three games against No. 1 Florida State at English Field. Tech's triumph also earned head coach John Szefc his 500th career victory, spanning his 17-year head coaching tenure at Marist, Maryland and Virginia Tech.
Nick Biddison and Tanner Schobel shared in 3-for-5 outings to lead the Hokies, who landed seven of their 16 hits for extra bases. Carson DeMartini, Gavin Cross and Conor Hartigan each registered triples for Tech – the most the Hokies had yielded in a game since March 10, 2018, against Pitt.
After rushing out to the 3-0 lead during Thursday's opening inning, Tech went to work immediately during the first inning of game two, rallying for four two-out runs. Jack Hurley put the Hokies in front with his RBI double that scored Schobel while Eduardo Malinowski followed with an RBI single up the middle, putting the hosts ahead by a deuce.
During the ensuing at-bat, Cade Hunter cushioned Tech's lead to 4-0, carrying Karson Ligon's 1-1 delivery well over the right field fence for his team leading, 13th home run of the season.
Despite Miami (27-8, 13-4 ACC) earning a run back against Hackenberg during the second inning, Tech's rookie hurler kept rolling along, needing six pitches to retire the Hurricanes during the fourth inning. Hackenberg shoved with efficiency through the duration of his eight-inning victory, improving to 7-0 while striking out seven batters and allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits, walking three.
Tech provided Hackenberg with ample insurance, breaking the game open with another four-spot during the bottom of the fourth inning. After Miami had lost DeMartini's fly ball to center field in the night sky – allowing it to drop for a triple – Biddison singled him home, preluding an RBI single by Schobel and a two-RBI double by Malinowski down the left field line.
Cross bagged two RBIs during the bottom of the fifth inning, shooting the Hokies out to the 11-2 lead with his ACC leading, fifth triple.
Mike Rosario accounted for two of Miami's five hits, singling in the only earned run Hackenberg surrendered during his rookie season long start.
NOTEWORTHY
• Friday's colossal crowd set the English Field regular season record for attendance at 3,521 fans, ranking third all-time behind Tech's 2013 NCAA Blacksburg Regional game against Connecticut (3,566) and its 2008 exhibition game against the New York Yankees (5,311).
UP NEXT
No. 21 Virginia Tech will play for the sweep of No. 2 Miami on Saturday, April 16. First pitch at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Gallery: (4-15-2022) BSB: Miami Game 2