BLACKSBURG – Led by Chris Cannizzaro's three-run home run and Carson DeMartini's grand slam on Tuesday afternoon, the No. 14 Virginia Tech baseball team slugged its way to the 15-5 victory against ETSU during the Hokies' 2023 home opener at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
For the first time since transferring from Bucknell, Cannizzaro circled the bases in Tech pinstripes, chasing right-hander Landon Smiddy from the game's second inning. Pulling Smiddy's 0-1 pitch to left field, the fifth-year outfielder put the exclamation point on the Hokies' four-run inning that propelled the home side to the early, 5-0 advantage.
By the sixth inning, DeMartini's grand slam – the first of his collegiate career – cemented Virginia Tech (3-1) in the driver's seat of its first home outing at English Field since the 2022 NCAA Blacksburg Super Regional. With two outs and the inning alive due to an earlier error, Tech's sophomore third baseman attacked the first pitch of his at-bat against reliever Nathan Hickman, driving it over the fence in left center to pad the Hokies' lead at 11-2.
DeMartini batted 3-for-5 to lead Tech at the plate while fellow sophomore infielder Christian Martin belted two hits from the nine spot, including his RBI triple hit into the right field corner during the fourth inning. Martin was later the benefactor of the Hokies' run-scoring double steal inside the same inning – a sequence that had been initiated by David Bryant sliding under the Buccaneers' tag at second base.
Making his first start since joining Tech last season, Kiernan Higgins looked comfortable through three scoreless, hitless innings, finishing with a walk and a strikeout. Behind him, the Hokies sent five relievers to the mound with rookie southpaw Andrew Sentlinger tossing his first inning and two-thirds from the Blacksburg bump.
Eduardo Malinowski pushed Tech's lead to 12-4 during the bottom of the eighth inning, connecting on his first RBI hit of the 2023 season. Carson Jones, Brody Donay and Sam Tackett also picked up RBIs during the Hokies' three-run eighth inning.
ETSU (2-2) registered five extra-base hits, including Justin Hanvey's pinch-hit home run during the eighth inning.
NOTEWORTHY
• The Hokies' 44 runs scored through their opening four games of the 2023 season are three fewer than their total from the 2022 season (47).
UP NEXT
No. 14 Virginia Tech will open its three-game, non-conference series against Bryant on Friday, Feb. 24, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch between the Hokies and the Bulldogs is scheduled for 1 p.m.
LOOKING AHEAD
Tickets remain on sale to Virginia Tech's five ACC home series, beginning with the Hokies' ACC-opening series against Boston College (March 10-12). Purchase your tickets today.