BLACKSBURG – Setting the program record for most walks drawn during a game (18) on Saturday night, the Virginia Tech baseball team easily put away Georgia Tech, 13-1, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park as the Hokies clinched their first series victory against the Yellow Jackets since 2010 (first all-time at home).
Virginia Tech (20-12, 7-9 ACC) nearly tripled its hits total (seven) in walks alone, benefitting from three additional hit batsmen as it ran up the score against Georgia Tech (20-15, 7-10 ACC). Contrastingly, the Hokies' pitching trio of Griffin Green, Jonah Hurney and Tyler Dean combined to strike out 11 batters while issuing one walk, collectively holding the visitors to five hits – all singles.
With the victory, Virginia Tech has now won five of its last six ACC games, pulling within two games of second-place [No. 13] North Carolina in the Coastal Division standings. The Hokies also celebrated John Szefc's 150th head coaching win at Virginia Tech – the third school at which he has led to 150 or more baseball victories (Marist – 212, Maryland – 180).
Green commanded arguably his best start of the 2023 season, retiring 16 of the first 18 batters he faced into the sixth inning. There, despite his seven strikeouts, three hits allowed and shutout bid, he was forced out of the game by injury, yet comfortably held on to collect his second winning decision of the spring.
Virginia Tech backed Green long before his exit, rallying for four runs during the bottom of the first inning. Behind a pair of leadoff walks issued by starter Dalton Smith, Jack Hurley cashed in three runs with his 14th home run of the season, teeing off the opposite way to left center field for his 10th round-tripper during his last 12 games.
Rookie first baseman Garrett Michel singled in Christian Martin for the Hokies' fourth run of the opening inning, providing the home side more than enough offensive insurance to last the remainder of the game. Martin, who had reached via walk, went on to walk five times during Saturday's victory, tying the Virginia Tech single-game program record (its fourth instance) and matching Carson DeMartini's five-walk outing earlier this season (March 25 at Pitt).
Clay Grady's bunted single three batters into the third inning marked its most theatrical play as the Hokies turned three walks and a hit batsman into two more runs. Two innings later, Carson Jones delivered his seventh home run of the season – a solo shot that padded Virginia Tech's lead at 7-0.
Breaking the game open, the Hokies scored six runs during the bottom of the eighth inning on only two hits, the latter being DeMartini's two-RBI triple that found plenty of open territory in right field.
Elite defending was on display for Virginia Tech throughout the night. Grady charged to make a flashy pick-and-throw on the run to nab Jack Rubenstein during the fifth inning while Jones made a highlight, sliding catch along the right field foul line to deny John Giesler extra bases during the seventh inning.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will compete for the program's first three-game winning streak against Georgia Tech on Sunday, April 16. First pitch between the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets has been moved up to 12 p.m. (previously 1 p.m.) to avoid inclement weather forecast for Blacksburg.
Gallery: (4-15-2023) BSB: Georgia Tech Game 2