Hokies Dismantle The Red Foxes 20-2 (3-12-24)
By: Joey Raymond
All Photo Credit: Katie Lovell-LMS Network
Blacksburg, VA –The Marist Red Foxes have found their way down to Blacksburg, Virginia to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. The ‘hammerin’ Hokies’ have been on an absolute tear so far this season, going 11-3, and coming off a sweep of ACC foe Notre Dame. Marist, a small college from Poughkeepsie, New York has had almost a polar opposite season. They’ve managed a 4-10 record, but have been winning as of late. The Red Fox’s last time out they won their first series of the year against fellow Virginia school, the Richmond Spiders. They snagged the first two wins of the series, only losing game three to the Spiders. This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Red Foxes and Hokies. The Hokies are currently 3-0 against the Red Foxes, winning the last game 7-6.
This game can be entirely summed up in two words. Pure domination. The Hokies would jump out to a very quick lead in this game, scoring two runs off of a Ben Watson single early in the first. That single would also stretch Watson’s hitting streak out to 11 games. From there the Hokies would live up to their affectionate nickname, the “Hammerin Hokies”. In the second inning, the Hokies would snag 4 more runs, 2 off of back-to-back solo home runs from David McCann and Henry Cooke. The other two runs would come off of the bat of Carson DeMartini who would rocket a two-run bomb off the top of the scoreboard.
The next inning is where the Virginia Tech Hokies would start to open things up. The Hokies would pop off for seven runs in the bottom of the third. After a hit by pitch and a walk, Henry Cooke would clobber his second home run of the game to get the Hokies started. The homer would stretch their lead out to 7, but the Hokies weren’t done yet. Christian Martin would double down the right field line and Carson DeMartini would hit his second homer of the game. Then the next at-bat Eddie Micheletti JR would hit a homer, as the “Hammerin Hokies” would go back to back again. At this point in the game, the Hokies would be leading by 13.
Marist would continue to struggle offensively early in the game, only getting a single hit by the fourth inning. The Hokies however would not let off the gas pedal. In the bottom of the fourth, the Hokies would play more small ball but still manage to plate 2 more runs. This time the runs would come the old-fashioned way, off of getting the runners on, moving them over, and bringing them in. Marist would finally break into the scoring column in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring off of a bases-loaded walk. That would be the only run in the fifth, as Marist would keep the Hokies off of the scoreboard for the first time all game.
At this point in the game, the Hokies would replace just about every single player from the starting lineup. That wouldn’t stop the Hoky’s offense though as thanks to Carrington Aaron’s first career hit, Tech would score once again bringing the lead to 16-1. They’d catch some momentum after that, as Jake Slade would get his first career home run. It’d be a three-run shot off the foul pole, stretching the Hokies lead to 19-1. That’s where the inning would finish only two batters later. 5 pitches after ‘take me out to the ballgame’ radiates through the stadium, Marist would get their first home run of the game. Lewis Rodriguez would rocket a ball over the left field fence, giving the Red Foxes their second run of the game.
The next run that we would see, would occur in the bottom of the eighth inning. Virginia Tech would have their third player hit for a multi-homer game as Jake Slade would hit his second career homer to give the Hokies their 20th run of the game. That home run would be the Hokies eighth home run of the game. The Hokies would go on to shut the door in the top of the ninth, finishing the game with a score of 20-2. The Hokies dominance would be an incredible display of offense. Every Virginia Tech starter reached base safely, with the team finishing with 19 total hits. The Hokies would also have three different hitters with 4 RBIs, and four players with multiple extra-base hits. The Hokies will head on the road this weekend, heading up to Kentucky to play the Louisville Cardinals. Marist will get a chance to stay in the New River Valley, heading 15 minutes down the road to play Radford University.
