ATLANTA – Hammering four home runs inside its 20-hit showcase on Friday night, the No. 16 Virginia Tech baseball team emphatically slugged its way by Georgia Tech, 11-1, at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Freshman designated hitter David McCann notched the second multi-homer game of his rookie season, putting a charge into solo shots during the fifth and sixth innings – his sixth and seventh round-trip swings of the spring. McCann (3-for-5) added an RBI double to his ledger during the third inning when his infield pop-up was masked by the sun, evading the defense of shortstop Payton Green.
Senior sluggers Eddie Micheletti Jr. and Gehrig Ebel delivered solo home runs during the third and sixth innings, respectively, factoring into the Hokies' best home run performance since mashing five long balls at Louisville on March 17.
With its 10-run margin of victory, Virginia Tech (23-8, 11-5 ACC) achieved its largest true road win to date at Georgia Tech (20-12, 5-8 ACC), where the Hokies last won a series opener in 2010. Offensively, Virginia Tech scored during seven of nine innings against the Yellow Jackets, tallying 20 hits – two shy of the program's ACC-era record (22) set in 2017.
Right-hand starter Brett Renfrow improved to 5-1 after chalking his fourth quality start of the season through nine tries. A solo home run by Matthew Ellis during the bottom of the first inning went down as the only demerit on Renfrow's card, which included seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
Jacob Exum picked up Renfrow one batter into the seventh inning, collecting the final nine outs from 10 batters faced without allowing a hit (three strikeouts). In doing so, Exum earned his first save of the season and the second of the sophomore's collegiate career.
Virginia Tech's leadoff batter reached four consecutive times via hits from the first through fourth innings, helping the Hokies race out to the 4-1 lead.
Clay Grady and Ben Watson put the wheels in motion on Virginia Tech's offensive barrage, cracking a pair of game-opening singles to set up a sacrifice fly by Carson DeMartini. After Ellis had tied the game during the bottom of the first inning for the Yellow Jackets, the Hokies retook the lead during the top of the second inning on a well-executed double steal by Grady (luring the throw to second base) and Henry Cooke (sliding home).
Micheletti opened the third inning by shuttling his 11th home run of the season to straightaway center field, extending Tech's control to 3-1. DeMartini proceeded to ride the ensuing pitch through the gap in left center for a double, soon scoring the Hokies' fourth run when McCann's major league pop-up dropped for an unnatural RBI double.
McCann's first blast of the day cushioned Virginia Tech's lead at 5-1 during the fifth inning while two more singles by Chris Cannizzaro and Cooke ultimately sent Georgia Tech starter Aeden Finateri packing. Christian Martin greeted reliever Camron Hill with an RBI ground-rule double into the left field corner, preempting a sacrifice fly by Grady that capped the Hokies' three-run rally.
Ebel and McCann cranked back-to-back home runs for Virginia Tech during the sixth inning, circling the bases to put the Hokies ahead, 9-1. DeMartini added an insurance RBI double during the seventh inning as the Hokies eclipsed double digits in scoring for the 15th time this season (sixth time during ACC play).
Cannizzaro quietly went 4-for-5 from the seventh spot in Virginia Tech's lineup – his fifth game with four or more hits since joining the Hokies last season.
UP NEXT
No. 16 Virginia Tech will eye its third consecutive win on Saturday, April 13, when the Hokies contest the second of three games at Georgia Tech. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Gallery: (4-12-2024) BSB: Georgia Tech Game 1