Hokie ClubGREENVILLE, N.C. – Breaking away from a 2-2 ballgame during the sixth inning on Saturday, the Virginia Tech baseball team scored in bunches down the stretch to defeat Kent State, 7-2, improving its record to 2-0 at the 2025 Keith LeClair Classic (hosted by East Carolina) at Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
With Saturday’s win, Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc scored his 200th victory with the program – a feat paired with his .570 winning percentage that spans eight seasons at the helm of the Hokies. Szefc’s 200 wins at Virginia Tech rank as the second most on his head coaching ledger earned at one institution, trailing his 212 victories achieved at Marist between the 1996 and 2002 seasons.
Junior catcher Henry Cooke homered for the second time this week, burying a solo home run down the right field line during the bottom of the first inning to shoot Virginia Tech (8-2) out to the 2-0 lead. Jared Davis – making his first outfield start with the Hokies (center field) – had singled to lead off the inning, coming around to score on an RBI groundout by David Lewis.
Freshman left-hand starter Jake Marciano surrendered a run back to Kent State (2-6) during the top of the second inning, where he overcame three walks and an RBI single by Sawyer Solitaria to strand the bases loaded. Marciano held the Golden Flashes to two hits, though issued five walks, striking out six while pitching into the sixth inning for the first time during his rookie season.
There, Marciano met his end after losing a nine-pitch battle with leadoff batter Hayden Jatczak, who walked to introduce the game’s tying run. Jacob Exum induced a ground ball from Brody Williams for the inning’s first out but conceded the game-tying RBI single to Hunter Klotz, smothering any further damage with his pair of inning-ending strikeouts.
Deadlocked at 2-2 during the bottom of the sixth inning, Virginia Tech charged back in front, taking advantage of an inning-opening error to rally for two unearned runs.
With two outs and Lewis at third base, Sam Tackett flared a weak line drive over the second baseman’s glove for the go-ahead RBI single. Jackson Cherry followed by pulling an RBI double down the right field line, scoring Tackett to leave the Hokies lying the 4-2 lead.
Kent State presented its best chance at turning the game in its favor during the top of the seventh inning, loading the bases with three outs to work with. However, the Hokies managed to escape unscathed, shutting the door again as Clay Grady sparked the inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play.
Lewis homered to lead off Virginia Tech’s three-run eighth inning – his first since joining the Hokies this season (45th of his collegiate career; third at the NCAA Division I level).