Virginia Tech Routs Eastern Tennessee 14-4 (3-19-24)
By: Joey Raymond
All Photo Credit: Katie Lovell-LMS Network
Blacksburg, VA –The Virginia Tech Hokies and the Eastern Tennessee Buccaneers meet face-to-face on a frigid day in Blacksburg, Virginia. Coming off of an electric weekend in Louisville where the Hokies won 2 of 3 games against the Cardinals, the Hokies were looking to continue that momentum. After the weekend series against the Cards, the Hokies would move up in the rankings to 19th in the country. They would also be ranked 1st in the country in home runs per game with an average of 2.83, with 51 total homers on the year. After playing 18 of its first 19 games of the season at home, the Bucs hit the road for just the second time in 2024. A team that ranks in the top 25 in most offensive categories should be a tough test for the Hokies’ pitching.
Early on, the offensive firepower that is the ETSU baseball team would flex its muscles. A team that ranks fifth in sacrifice flies (17), 11th in doubles per game (2.63), 13th in doubles (50), 19th in batting average (.323) and 21st in walks (124), would show why they rank where they do. After getting a runner on thanks to a fielder’s choice, the Bucs would get a single from Cody Miller to get the scoring started in the first. They would score 3 more runs in the second inning to bring the lead to 4-0. Those runs would come off of a Nick Iannantone double after Noah Gent and Ryan McCarthy found their way on base with singles.
From that point on the Hokies would respond with a vengeance and never look back. In the bottom of the second Virginia Tech would get Eddie Micheletti and Gehrig Ebel on base via a walk and a single. Then Ben Watson would come to bat, and the floodgates would open. He’d send a grounder to second which would be then thrown into left field, allowing the Hokies to plate 2 runs. After that play, the Hokies would find themselves with 2 more base runners, Clay Grady and David McCann. Christian Martin would then hit a mammoth home run, bringing in all 3 runners, and giving the Hokies a 5-4 lead.
The Hokies wouldn’t stop there either. The ‘Hammerin Hokies’ would plate 2 more runs in both the 3rd and 4th innings. In the 3rd inning, the Hokies would open with a ground-rule double from Chris Cannizzaro, he’d move over to third on a wild pick-off throw. Gerhig Ebel would hit a homer on the next at-bat over the pitch lab, to stretch the Hokies lead to 7-4. In the 4th inning, Virginia Tech would get a single and a walk to put Clay Grady and Christian DiMartini on, then Chris Cannizzaro would hit a double to knock in the 2, giving the Hokies a 9-4 lead. All the while the Hokies pitching staff would continuously shut the door on the Bucs over and over again. From the 3rd inning onward, the Bucs would only manage to get a single from Tommy Barth.
Virginia Tech would continue the offensive onslaught in the 5th and 6th innings. The Hokies would get a double from Ben Watson to open the inning. After a ground out from Henry Cooke, the Hokies, David McCann would single and bring home the runner, scoring their 10th run of the game for a 10-4 lead. That would be the 12th time in 19 games that the Hokies have scored in double digits this season. The bases would get loaded up completely immediately after the run, allowing for the Hokies to score another 2 runs off of a Chris Cannizzaro ground rule double. They would bring the lead to 12-4, but the inning would end before the Hokies could score another. In the sixth inning, the Hokies would plate two more runs, stretching the lead to 14-4. Gerhig Ebel and Ben Watson would get the Hokies started in the sixth by hitting back-to-back singles. Henry Cooke would come up as the next batter and smack a double over the third base bag, sending both runners home and giving the Hokies a 14-4 lead.
Upon entering the seventh inning, both coaches agreed that after the conclusion of the inning, they’d call a mercy rule. Again, ETSU would go 3 batters up, and 3 batters down as the Hokies pitching staff continued to dominate. Virginia Tech pitchers faced 30 East Tennessee State hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out six. They would only allow the 4 runs in the first two innings and then only allow a single the rest of the game. Between the offensive onslaught and the fantastic pitching the Hokies truly dominated for a majority of the game. The Hokies will close the book on this game and look forward to a weekend series against ACC foe, Boston College. As for ETSU, they’ll head down to North Carolina to face Western Carolina in a weekend series.
