The week started off pretty well with a convincing win over Radford in the annual NRV home/home series. Radford is often a challenging team so it’s a good mid-week matchup and needed recovery from the Tech’s series loss. But they went to Miami and just salvaged another split in game three.
at Radford – Tuesday March 31st – Win 13-5
The Hokies needed to start off their upcoming road trip to Coral Gables with some sort of anything resembling momentum. Radford, our friends and neighbors from down Prices Fork and Pepper’s Ferry, usually presents
a tough non-conference opponent, but a reasonable opportunity to grab a momentum shifting win.
This time the trip was worth the bus ride since the Hokie offense came up with a good showing by scoring something in 6 of 9 innings. Radford did make a reasonable offensive push, giving the Tech Pitch-by-Committee staff a workout by scoring 5 runs, but the Hokies had this one salted away by 10 runs before Radford managed to cross the plate twice in the bottom of the 9th.
Highlights to note for the Hokies:
This was a rare game this season where the Hokies managed to hit multiple home runs. Treyson Hughes, Ethan Gibson, and Nick Locurto all cranked taters over the wall. Locurto hit two of the four with one of his being a 2-run shot.
Senior reliver Jacob Exum received credit for the win as the pitcher of record, but Tech would use seven total pitchers in the game, none of whom made it past 3 full innings.
Junior Transfer Reliever Danny Lazaro led the team with 5 strikeouts.
at Miami – Friday April 3rd – Loss (Run Rule in 7) 19-1
It seems like the Hokies just have issues with maintaining offensive momentum and pitching consistency. Losses hurt, run rule losses are excruciating, especially when it comes at the expense of one of your better starting pitchers, Transfer Senior Brendan Yagesh. Baseball is just one of those sorts of sporting contests were sometimes the bear jumps on your back and grinds you into the turf before you ever get started.
The Hokies might have jumped out early, but managed noting but scattered hits and no one crossing the plate until the ACC baseball run rule provided the much-needed mercy. This was just one of “those games”, and the best thing to do is to put it behind you.
at Miami – Saturday April 4th – Loss 6-8
Well, putting a really bad loss behind you is a hard thing to get done, and game 2 of the Miami series looked like it had all the earmarks of a recovery. Starting pitcher Brett Renfrow had a good 3 inning stretch where he gave up just one run and struck out more than enough to call it close to a quality start. However, some warning signs had popped up that a pitching coach might start getting a bit itchy in the scalp about. Renfrow was tagged hard for two triples in the first three innings, and the ‘Canes were starting to make really hard contact.
As the 4th rolled around, Miami managed to not only make hard contact but to start missing gloves and players. With the score tied 1-1 the Hurricane bats woke up in unison and chained together a five-run bottom of the 4th. It wasn’t the winning margin, but it was a major dent in Renfrow’s record.
There was no give-up for the Hokies in this one. The team really needed this to be a win, and the Hokies would score again in the top of the 7th and then put up a desperation rally in the top of the 9th to but 4 runs across the plate. Of course, that wasn’t enough to come up with a tie or a win, but the 9 hits and 6 runs seemed to get the Hokies oriented in a winning direction.
Highlights to note for the Hokies:
Junior Nick Locurto managed 3 hits and 2 RBI in this one. Transfer Junior Shortstop Pete Daniel worked a hit and a walk into two runs and Freshman Ethan Ball hit a three-run homer in the top of the 9th to get the Hokies close.
at Miami – Sunday April 5th – Win 6-3
The Hokies salvaged a split on Easter Sunday as Griffin Stieg took to the mound and tossed an excellent 6 inning 2 run effort to start the game. Stieg didn’t strike out a large number of batters, but he did manage to get them out with the Hokies working the defense, throwing leather, and keeping the Hurricanes from getting too close.
The Hokie bats stayed active enough to grab an early 4-0 lead by the top of the middle of the 3rd and then hold on until the Hokies manufactured 2 runs in the top of the 9th to give Reliever Preston Crowl some breathing room.
Stieg got credit for his second win of the season, and since Crowl pitched 2 innings, he got credit for a save (his first of the season).
Credit the Hokie Offense for managing to get ahead by four runs in 2 1/2 innings and then to stay ahead for the rest of the game.
Highlights to note for the Hokies:
Ethan Ball blasted his 5th homer of the season 402 feet over the left field wall. Sam Grube lifted another tater out of the park for his 4th of the season. Both were solo shots. Ethan Gibson had 2 hits and 2 RBI for the game.
The Record sits at .500 (15-15)
The Hokies are treading water at a par .500 record, but their ACC conference record is starting to sink at 6-9. They need to pick up a few series wins, and maybe a sweep or two in the conference in order to qualify for any sort of post season consideration.
This evening, Tuesday April 7th, the Hokies take a home break on their long road trip to play a home/home against always dangerous Liberty at 6:00. They head to Boston for the weekend to play #23 Boston College with their big Saturday ALS Awareness game to be played in Fenway Park. BC is always a good baseball team, especially this season, but the Hokies have a real chance to make this series a winner.
