BLACKSBURG – Limited to a pair of multi-hit games on Friday by Chris Cannizzaro and Christian Martin, the No. 14 Virginia Tech baseball team had difficulty overcoming Coleman Picard's 12-strikeout start as the Hokies dropped their series opener to Bryant, 7-3, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Martin's RBI double during the bottom of the second inning injected life into Tech's dugout after the Hokies had fallen behind quickly, 4-0. Right-hand starter Griffin Green had surrendered only two hits to the Bulldogs during the opening two innings of play – the former an RBI single by Jake Gustin that broke the ice during the first inning and the latter a two-run home run by Jackson Phinney.
Virginia Tech (3-2) used Martin's extra-base knock to slide within 4-1, though the majority of Hokies' bats were stifled by Picard's masterful afternoon on the mound. The junior right-hander collected 11 of his first 12 outs by strikeout, adding a pickoff of Cannizzaro at first base while ending his five-inning outing by retiring eight consecutive Tech batters.
Green battled for the Hokies and kept his pitch count low, working into the sixth inning on 63 pitches. Following Phinney's home run, he induced three straight groundouts to end the second inning prior to facing the minimum during the third, fourth and fifth innings.
With Bryant (1-3) chasing Green from the sixth inning by placing two runners aboard, James Myler nearly missed a three-run home run against Tech's second reliever, Christian Worley, settling instead for a two-RBI double off the right field netting. Carson DeMartini responded for the Hokies by doubling in Cannizzaro during the bottom of the sixth inning, cutting the home team's deficit to 6-2.
Worley succumbed to another RBI double by Gavin Noriega during the top of the seventh inning while Tech shortstop David Bryant answered with the RBI single that set the final score at 7-3.
Virginia Tech squandered its best scoring opportunity during the top of the first inning when the Hokies had two runners in scoring position with no outs. After Cannizzaro had singled David Bryant to third base via error and taken 90 feet on Picard's ensuing wild pitch, the Tech duo remained stranded as Picard bounced back to strike out DeMartini, Jack Hurley and Carson Jones consecutively.
Gustin went 3-for-5 to lead the Bulldogs, who managed seven hits to Tech's nine. Right-hand closer Brett Wichrowski secured the win for Bryant, blanking the Hokies during the eighth and ninth innings.
UP NEXT
No. 14 Virginia Tech will play to even the series against Bryant on Saturday, Feb. 24, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch between the Hokies and the Bulldogs has been moved back to 4 p.m. (previously 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.
Gallery: (2-23-2023) BSB: Bryant Game 1