Hokie ClubCHARLOTTE, N.C. – With right-hander Brett Renfrow compiling one of the strongest Opening Day starts by a true freshman during recent program history, the Virginia Tech baseball team was able to relax its way to the 10-0 win against Charlotte on Friday at Robert and Mariam Hayes Baseball Stadium.
Impressing coaches and teammates alike during the preseason, Renfrow lived up to his own billing, controlling his mid-90s fastball to the tune of seven strikeouts through the duration of his five-inning start. The rookie from Manassas, Virginia, collected 15 outs from 17 batters faced, walking one batter while surrendering his lone hit to catcher Kaden Hopson during the second inning.
Renfrow had the security of a 1-0 lead from the moment he stepped onto the rubber as Virginia Tech (1-0) plated a run without a base hit during the top of the first inning. Junior third baseman Carson DeMartini turned a one-out walk by Miles Langhorne into the Hokies' opening run, benefitting from Langhorne's errant pickoff throw and later scoring on his wild pitch that carried well awry.
Despite staking its lead, Tech was denied a hit until the fourth inning when Ben Watson (fifth-year transfer from Elizabethtown) singled fellow outfielder Chris Cannizzaro into scoring position. Sam Tackett plated Cannizzaro with his RBI single to left field to double the Hokies' lead at 2-0 while Henry Cooke proceeded to bring everyone home with his first career home run – a three-run blast that traveled over the trees above the left field wall.
DeMartini joined the home run party during the top of the fifth inning, shuttling a solo shot to right field to extend the visitors' lead to 6-0. He finished as one of six Tech starters who accounted for the team's six hits – four of which landed for extra bases.
After committing five errors during the two programs' 2023 series finale in Blacksburg, Charlotte (0-1) was plagued again by its defense, which chalked four errors on Friday. Juan Correa's mishandling of Michel's power chopper to first base during the sixth inning resulted in the ball ricocheting out of play for a two-base error, leaving the door open for Eddie Micheletti Jr. to uncork his two-RBI triple that padded the Hokies' lead at 9-0.
Christian Martin added a solo home run during the eighth inning to set the scoring at 10-0, marking the second time during the past three seasons when Tech has plated double-digit runs on Opening Day.
Fifth-year left-hander David Shoemaker (transfer from Pennsylvania) backed Renfrow with three hitless innings, tallying six strikeouts. Jordan Vera and Madden Clement, two Hokies newcomers, split the ninth inning to stamp the Hokies' first shutout victory on Opening Day since 2019.
As a staff, Virginia Tech's 14 combined strikeouts are the most by the Hokies on Opening Day since their 15-strikeout performance in 2005 against Villanova.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will play for its second straight season-opening win at Charlotte on Saturday, Feb. 17. First pitch between the Hokies and the 49ers at Robert and Mariam Hayes Baseball Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Gallery: (2-16-2024) BSB: 2024 Opener at Charlotte