4
5-7
12
Winner
9-2
4
12
| group | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
4 | 4 | 5 |
|
|
12 | 10 | 0 |
WUmberger, Grant (2-0)
LMiles Langhorne (1-1)
BLACKSBURG – After posting five straight scoreless innings to start Sunday’s series finale, the No. 11 Virginia Tech baseball team easily defeated Charlotte 12-4 to complete the teams’ three-game weekend sweep at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Tech’s offensive center, fifth-year outfielder Chris Cannizzaro He collected three or more hits for the fifth straight game, hitting 3-for-5 with a double, triple and two RBIs. Starting his last five games Sunday through Sunday, Cannizzaro — who has a .540 season average and 1.576 OPS — has now cracked 19 hits in his last 26 at-bats, hitting four doubles, two triples and four home runs.
Cannizzaro’s one-out single in the bottom of the first inning put Virginia Tech (9-2) in business on 49ers’ starter Miles Langhorne. On the next noise, Carson DeMartini He ripped a double down the right field line, leaving first base open Eddie Eisert 1-2 to turn the count into a six-pitch walk.
A back-pinned square on the first pitch of the following at-bat; Jack Harley He collected a hard-earned RBI that allowed Cannizzaro to swing home and put the Hokies ahead 1-0. Fighting Langir to a full count, Carson Jones He proceeded to clear the bases with a three-RBI double to right-center field, gifting Tech a 4-0 advantage out of the gates.
After Charlotte (5-7) committed two errors in the bottom of the second inning to give the Hokies an unearned run, Tech’s lineup continued to produce in the third inning. Hurley boarded second base, following his one-out double to left center, the rookie first baseman. Garrett Mitchell He hit a two-run home run to the same ballpark section, giving the Hokies a seven-run cushion.
Tech right hand starter Anthony Arguelles He retired nine of his first 11 batters, though he ran into trouble in the top of the fourth inning. Argyles, who gave up a leadoff single to Cam Fisher and a six-pitch walk to Josh Patrick, left a 1-1 offering in Jake Cunningham’s zone before the 49ers’ designated hitter connected on a three-run homer that gave the Hokies the lead.
Grant Umberger He improved to 2-0 on the season after throwing two and one-third scoreless innings in relief of Argyles. Umberger allowed one hit while recording four strikeouts in a row, hitting the 49ers side in the fifth inning.
As the game grew closer, three more errors by the Charlotte defense in the fourth and fifth innings gave Tech a run to pull away for good. Cannizzaro’s RBI double in the fourth inning pushed the Hokies’ lead to 8-3, starting shortstop. Clay Grady He capped Tech’s big three-run fifth inning with a triple over the left fielder’s retreating glove for the first time.
Cannizzaro, flirting with a five-game stretch in his second cycle, struck out third in the third inning and was scoreless in the bottom of the fifth inning. Eduardo Malinowski He wound up planting his sword on Charlotte’s chance for a solo home run in the seventh inning — his first of the 2023 season.
Next
No. 11 Virginia Tech will be halfway through the week leading up to the final week of the first home stand of 2023 when Tech welcomes UMass Lowell to Blacksburg for two games on Tuesday, March 7. Tuesday’s first game between the Hawkeyes and the River Hawks is scheduled for 2 p.m.