Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Riding three-hit performances by graduate outfielder Sam Gates and freshman infielder Ethan Ball on Tuesday, the Virginia Tech baseball team used its five-run fourth inning to crack open its midweek tilt against ETSU, powering through to collect the 7-5 victory at English Field.
After starting the season 0-for-7 at the plate, Gates went 3-for-4 on Tuesday with an RBI double and a triple, finishing a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. Despite celebrating his first extra-base swings with his new team, the former three-year man at George Washington arguably made more of an impact when his bunted single up the third base line loaded the bases during the fourth inning, setting the table for the Hokies to pile on five runs and race out to the 7-3 lead.
Ball matched Gates with his 3-for-4 contribution – all leadoff at-bats – charting his third multi-hit performance through his first four collegiate games. Reprising his role as designated hitter, the 6-foot-1 rookie led off the hosts’ two big innings with singles and came around to score on both occasions, including from first base on the RBI double by Gates that put the home team on the scoreboard.
Virginia Tech (4-0) notched its fourth consecutive come-from-behind victory of the young season, having fallen into a 3-0 hole during the top of the first inning. After retiring the first two batters of the ballgame, right-hand starter Aiden Robertson proceeded to leave the door open for ETSU (3-1), issuing two-out walks to Axel Melendez and Tyler Fetterman before allowing a three-run home run to first baseman Tristan Curless.
Robertson shook off the homer to finish with three scoreless innings, receiving a pinch of run support by the Hokies’ bats during the bottom of the second inning. Two batters after Gates had broken the scoring with his run-scoring double to left field, junior shortstop Pete Daniel barreled an RBI single into center field, trimming the margin to 3-2 during the early going.
Upon Gates loading the bases for Virginia Tech during the fourth inning, ETSU motioned for right-handed reliever Colin Eaton, who was tasked with finding all three outs for the Buccaneers.
Starting small, Virginia Tech cashed in its go-ahead runs on back-to-back infield balls by Hudson Lutterman and Daniel. Lutterman tied the game at 3-3 by grounding into a fielder’s choice on the left side while Daniel nearly beat out his RBI sacrifice bunt after it had been mishandled in front of the mound by Eaton.
With Lutterman at second base, Treyson Hughes extended the Hokies’ lead to 5-3, working a 3-1 count against Eaton before pummeling his RBI ground-rule double into right field. Eaton appeared to finally find his exit from the fourth inning when he induced a routine fly ball from Henry Cooke, had it not been dropped by center fielder Jamie Palmese, who was guilty of committing the two-run, two-base error.
Receiving two more scoreless relief innings from Chase Swift, Virginia Tech preserved its 7-3 lead into the seventh inning when ETSU managed to halve its deficit against Luke Craytor. Back-to-back leadoff singles by Ian Guanzon and Henry Ferguson created unwanted traffic for Craytor, who was burned for two runs (one earned) when Ethan Gibson errantly overthrew first base after sliding to keep Luke Matlock’s RBI single in the infield.
Brendan Yagesh picked up the final six outs for the Hokies without conceding a run to earn his first collegiate save.
“That was our fourth straight game coming from behind [to win],” said Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc. “I think it’s good for us to play close games like that.
“ETSU is a good team. Joe [Pennucci] does a really good job there with his staff. It’s a really good opponent for us to play. So, for us to be able to kind of crawl back in and come from behind, I think it’s working on our maturity early on as a group.”
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will open a three-game series against Rutgers on Friday, Feb. 20. Game times between the Hokies and the Scarlet Knights at English Field are scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 20), 4 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 21) and 1 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 22).