BLACKSBURG – Led by true freshman starter Brett Renfrow's six scoreless innings on Friday, the Virginia Tech baseball team won its fifth consecutive game as the Hokies outdueled Stony Brook on the mound to prevail, 6-3, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Renfrow was efficient in carving through the Seawolves, requiring no more than 16 pitches to complete any of his six shutout innings. Tech's right-handed ace used six quick pitches to retire the SBU side during the top of the first inning, ultimately throwing 27 of his first 29 deliveries for strikes.
Stretching into the sixth inning for the first time as a college starter, Renfrow matched his rookie season high for strikeouts on Friday, fanning seven hitters without issuing a walk or a free base. With his third straight career-opening victory in stow, the 6-foot-3 native of Manassas, Virginia, departed Friday's game with a scoreless streak of nine and two-thirds innings pitched, having thrown up zeros during all but two of his 16 season innings toeing the rubber.
Sixth-year outfielder Chris Cannizzaro led Virginia Tech (7-2) offensively with his 3-for-4 day at the plate, scoring a pair of runs while chalking an RBI for the fourth straight game. Cannizzaro provided the latter of two RBI doubles hit by the Hokies during their two-run third inning, scoring Christian Martin, who had previously doubled in Clay Grady to break the game's scoreless tie. Renfrow protected Tech's 2-0 lead into the sixth inning where the Hokies tacked on two more runs for soon-to-be much needed insurance.
After video replay had upheld Cannizzaro reaching safely on his leadoff hit into the Seawolves' left side shift, Garrett Michel set the table by doubling him over to third base. Coming through in the clutch, Eddie Micheletti Jr. stroked his RBI single through the left side to score Cannizzaro while Sam Tackett cleared enough turf on his sacrifice fly to plate Michel, cushioning the hosts' lead to 4-0.
Unable to muster much against Renfrow, Stony Brook (3-6) worked its way back into the ballgame by turning a two-out rally against David Shoemaker. Singles by Ryan Micheli and Evan Fox put two runners on for the Seawolves while Cam Santerre took Shoemaker's 0-1 pitch off the side of his knee, loading the bases.
Tech nearly escaped the jam unscathed when Carson DeMartini charged at Evan Goforth's chopper, but DeMartini's ensuing throw led Michel into the runner, resulting in a collision that allowed two runs to score. Stony Brook soon crept within 4-3 against Brady Kirtner, whose four-pitch walk to Brett Paulsen pushed a third unearned run across.
Despite the theatrics, Virginia Tech managed to plate two game-clinching runs during the bottom of the eighth inning. With two runners aboard, Ben Watson rocketed a two-RBI double past the Seawolves' third baseman, scoring Cannizzaro and Tackett to up the Hokies' lead to 6-3.
Jacob Stretch collected the final four outs for Tech, earning his first save at the NCAA Division I level.
Fox led Stony Brook with his 3-for-5 performance out of the leadoff spot while Matt Brown-Eiring went 2-for-4 as the Seawolves' cleanup hitter. SBU starting pitcher Eddie Smink pitched six innings, though was tagged for four runs on six hits while recording two walks and two strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will look to prolong its five-game winning streak on Saturday, March 2, against Stony Brook. First pitch between the Hokies and the Seawolves is scheduled for 3 p.m. (previously 4 p.m.) at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Gallery: (3-1-2024) BSB: Stony Brook Game 1