No. 11 Virginia Tech ready for home trio against Charlotte

No. 11 Virginia Tech (6-2, 0-0 ACC) 
vs. Charlotte (5-4, 0-0 C-USA) 

Friday, March 3
English Field at AUBP
1 p.m. ET
ACC Network Extra
Virginia Tech Sports Network

Saturday, March 4
English Field at AUBP
2 p.m. ET
Virginia Tech Sports Network

Sunday, March 5
English Field at AUBP
1 p.m. ET
ACC Network Extra
Virginia Tech Sports Network

BLACKSBURG – Knocking on the door of the nation's top 10, the No. 11 Virginia Tech baseball team (6-2, 0-0 ACC) will contest its final non-conference series before the start of ACC action when it welcomes Charlotte (5-4, 0-0 C-USA) this weekend to English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park for a three-game series (March 3-5).
 
Friday and Sunday's games between the Hokies and the 49ers will air live on ACC Network Extra with coverage beginning at 1 p.m. on both days; Saturday's game will not be streamed. Fans may also listen to all three games, as they are made available, on the Virginia Tech Sports Network.

PROBABLE STARTERS
• Friday:  Griffin Green (0-1, 6.52 ERA) vs. TBD
• Saturday:  TBD vs. TBD
• Sunday:  TBD vs. TBD
 HAMMERIN' HEADLINES

• Virginia Tech ascended three positions in D1Baseball's top 25 poll this week, jumping from No. 14 to No. 11, where the Hokies had placed in the outlet's 2022 year-end rankings. Tech has now been ranked among D1Baseball's top 15 programs for 11 consecutive poll cycles, dating back to April 2022.
• The Hokies' current No. 11 rankings by D1Baseball and USA TODAY Sports tie their highest marks of the 2023 season. Additionally, Tech ranks No. 13 per Baseball America, No. 14 per the NCBWA and No. 15 per Perfect Game.
• Virginia Tech is off to its best eight-game scoring output since joining the ACC before the 2005 season. The 2023 Hokies' mark of 83 runs scored through eight games broke the program's previous high of 82 runs set during the 2009 season.
• Tech heads into its series against Charlotte ranked 16th among NCAA Division I programs in scoring average (10.4 runs per game) – the fifth highest mark within the ACC.
• Hammering away, the Hokies' cast of 10 home run hitters during the 2023 season ties for the ACC lead with Miami. Among them, three true freshmen have homered for the first time during their collegiate careers – Brody Donay (inside the park), Garrett Michel, Carter Newman – while all but four of Tech's 14 home runs this season have been hit by newcomers (including transfers).
• Fifth-year outfielder Chris Cannizzaro ranks among the top 60 NCAA Division I players in batting average, leading the Hokies with his .471 clip. Cannizzaro, who has hit safely during all but one of his first eight appearances in a Tech uniform (Bucknell transfer), has batted 8-for-10 during his previous two games with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, five runs scored and four RBIs.
• After hitting for the cycle against Bryant on Feb. 26 – the first by a Virginia Tech player since Gavin Cross in 2021 – Chris Cannizzaro garnered placement among Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's National Players of Week. He is the second Tech player to be named to this honor, joining fourth-year reliever Henry Weycker (Feb. 20).

ON THE MOUND

• Sophomore right-hander Drue Hackenberg leads Virginia Tech's starting pitcher core with his 0.77 ERA, having registered 14 strikeouts across 11 and two-thirds innings pitched.
• Hackenberg set a career high with his 10-strikeout performance against Bryant on Feb. 25. He is one of two Tech pitchers to achieve a double-digit strikeout count this season along with fourth-year reliever Henry Weycker, who struck out 10 batters at College of Charleston on Feb. 18.
• As a pitching staff, Virginia Tech enters its weekend series against Charlotte toeing a 3.68 ERA, having racked up 93 strikeouts during 71 innings pitched.
• Fourth-year junior Matthew Siverling leads the Hokies in relief appearances while left-hander Henry Weycker paces Tech's bullpen in innings pitched (6.1).

SCOUTING THE 49ers

• Virginia Tech leads the all-time series against Charlotte, 21-17.
• The Hokies are seeking their first home victory against the 49ers since 2002, having lost Blacksburg occasions in both 2006 and 2007.
• Virginia Tech and Charlotte crossed over their memberships in the Metro Conference between 1991 and 1995. The Hokies won their only two postseason appearances against the 49ers during the 1992 and 1994 conference tournaments.
• Charlotte was Tech's May 2006 opponent on Chuck Hartman Night when the Hokies played their final regular season home game under the leadership of their legendary head coach.
• This season, the 49ers have won a four-game season-opening series against Ball State and lost a three-game home series against Army West Point.
• Charlotte went 36-22 during the 2022 season, finishing in a tie for seventh place courtesy of its 17-13 league record. The 49ers broke a 10-year absence from the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 2021, qualifying as the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Greenville Regional.

UP NEXT

• During spring break, No. 11 Virginia Tech will contest a two-game midweek series against UMass Lowell beginning on Tuesday, March 7, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. Following Tuesday's 2 p.m. opener, the Hokies and the River Hawks will return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 8, for their 1 p.m. finale.
• Tech's season-opening home stand features 13 games at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park beginning Feb. 21 and running through Tech's ACC-opening series against Boston College (March 10-12).
• Tickets to Virginia Tech's five ACC regular season home series against Boston College (March 10-12), Virginia (March 31-April 2), Georgia Tech (April 14-16), North Carolina (April 28-30) and Clemson (May 12-14) are still available at all pricing options. Purchase your tickets today.
• Fans, before making your way to English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park this season, consider reviewing the ballpark's 2023 Visitors Guide.