Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Behind junior Nick Locurto’s first career multi-homer game on Tuesday, the Virginia Tech baseball team slugged its way past Radford, 13-5, at Williams Field at Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium.
After doubling during each of his three starts against Stanford over the weekend, Locurto went 3-for-4 on Tuesday with a walk, a double, two home runs, three runs scored and three RBIs. Locurto’s two home run swings – a two-run shot during the third inning and a solo blast during the fifth inning – accented earlier home runs by Ethan Gibson and Treyson Hughes as the Hokies comfortably hammered their way to a season scoring high.
Virginia Tech (14-13) made two complete passes through its batting order by the third inning, racing out to the 8-0 lead behind five extra-base hits. Lying the 2-0 advantage after the first inning, Gibson and Hughes both connected on solo home runs during the second inning that doubled the Hokies’ lead to 4-0 – a theme that carried on into their four-run third inning.
Having singled during his opening at-bat, Ethan Ball led off the top of the third inning for Virginia Tech by doubling to right field, coming around to score two batters later when Henry Cooke mashed a two-RBI double off the wall in right center field. With Cooke standing at second base, Locurto unloaded his first home run of the contest, trotting around to sport the Hokies an eight-run lead.
Facing the minimum through his first two innings of work, right-hander Aiden Roberston was an out away from moving Virginia Tech’s 8-0 lead into the fourth inning when Junho Son belted an RBI double to left field, putting Radford (12-13) on the scoreboard. Robertson’s start began snowballing in the wrong direction with Hunter Keen’s ensuing RBI single and back-to-back hit batsmen that sent the Hokies into their bullpen and soon had the Highlanders within the 8-3 score line.
Locurto’s solo homer to lead off the fifth inning helped put Virginia Tech back on track, going down as the opening salvo during its three-run rally. Sam Gates singled behind Locurto, stole second base and scored on two passed balls by the Highlanders’ catcher Tyler Sparrer while Gibson circled behind him, ultimately scoring on an RBI sacrifice bunt by Hughes.
Virginia Tech’s relief corps retired 10 consecutive Radford batters from the third inning into the seventh inning, where the Hokies wrapped things up with a timely, 6-4-3 double play. Danny Lazaro struck out five batters through two and two-thirds innings of work, splitting duty during the eighth inning with freshman Tyler Stone.
With the game well out of reach, Radford tacked on two runs during the bottom of the ninth inning, capitalizing on four of Virginia Tech’s five walks. Together, the Hokies’ bullpen combined to allow two hits from the fourth inning onward, uniting for 11 strikeouts.
Eight of Virginia Tech’s nine offensive starters recorded at least one hit and one run.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will begin a three-game ACC series at Miami on Friday, April 3. Game times between the Hokies and the Hurricanes at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Florida, are scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Friday, 6 p.m. ET on Saturday (April 4) and 1 p.m. ET on Sunday (April 5).