RADFORD, Va. – Swinging for the fences on Tuesday against its New River Valley rival, the Virginia Tech baseball team combined to hammer four home runs and put up three crooked numbers at Radford as the Hokies won their fourth straight game in 14-4 fashion at Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium.
Chris Cannizzaro, Garrett Michel, Sam Tackett and Ethan Gibson accounted for Tech's four home run swings against the Highlanders – tying for the most the squad has compiled during a game this season. Through eight games, the Hammerin' Hokies have mashed 21 team home runs (2.6 per game), powering three or more as a unit on five occasions.
Virginia Tech (6-2) busted out to the 5-0 lead after a half inning of play and never looked back, adding three runs during the third inning, one run during the fourth inning and five more runs during the fifth inning. Seven of the Hokies' nine offensive starters landed in the hit column, producing all nine of the team's extra-base knocks.
Three batters into the ballgame, Tech was presented the 3-0 lead as Cannizzaro used the deepest part of the ballpark to drop his fourth home run of the season, scoring infielders Christian Martin and Carson DeMartini. With Michel and Eddie Micheletti Jr. aboard behind Cannizzaro, the Hokies added their fourth run after back-to-back fly balls by Sam Tackett and Ben Watson, tacking on their fifth game-opening run when Henry Cooke cracked his RBI double into the gap in right center field.
Radford (2-5) scraped back for two runs against Tech starter Jeremy Neff (transfer from Richmond), who lasted two innings and picked up his 200th career strikeout. Conner Butler's double to left center field put two runners in scoring position for the Highlanders, both of whom came home on a pair of RBI groundouts by Zack Whitacre and Carson Bell.
Virginia Tech separated itself from Radford by dialing up its home run power during the middle innings, building the 9-2 lead by the fourth inning.
Michel opened the third inning with his fourth home run of the season, clearing the right field fence easily with his two-run shot that scored Cannizzaro. Two batters later, Tackett drove a solo shot to center field for his first homer of the season – a feat freshman shortstop Ethan Gibson would soon match at the start of the fourth inning.
Tech brought 10 batters to the plate during its five-run fifth inning, witnessing three early doubles by Michel, Tackett (earning one RBI) and Watson (earning two RBIs). DeMartini collected an RBI on his second of three walks during the afternoon, despite having to settle for the end of his eight-game hitting streak.
Cannizzaro went 2-for-4 with four RBIs; Watson went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs; and Michel went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, finishing a triple short of hitting for the cycle for the second time spanning three games. Gibson also came away with his first two collegiate hits during his first collegiate start (fourth career game).
Fifth-year right-hander Grant Manning carried the Hokies' offensive thunder onto the mound, tossing four innings in relief of Neff while racking up six strikeouts. Manning retired the Highlanders in order during both the fourth and fifth innings, answering Zack Whitacre's solo home run during the sixth inning with back-to-back, inning-ending strikeouts of Bell and Brady Whitacre.
Matthew Siverling, Jacob Stretch and Jordan Vera mopped up the final three innings for Virginia Tech, uniting to allow a run on two hits while registering seven strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will open its three-game home series against Stony Brook on Friday, March 1. Game times between the Hokies and the Seawolves this weekend are scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.