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Tech Baseball opens season with sweep

Virginia Tech's baseball team started the season off strongly, sweeping a four game series down at UNC Wilmington. The Hokies won a pair of games each over Kent State and UNC Wilmington, outscoring the two teams a combined 34-12.

By Casey Richey
Streeter Lecka

Ed. Note: As pointed out by Aaron McFarling (@aaronmcfarling), the Hokies moved up to No. 24 after the weekend.

(Note: As is often the case in college baseball, players switch between positions from game to game, so they're tagged with what position they played in that particular game).

GAME 1 :: Virginia Tech 10, Kent State 9 (Friday, Feb. 15)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Virginia Tech 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 10 9 3
Kent State 1 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 9 14 3

Chad Pinder (3B), started the scoring in the first inning for the Hokies with a two-run triple that scored Gary Schneider (RF) and Alex Perez (SS). Andrew Rash (CF) drove in Mark Zagunis (DH) to push the Tech lead to 3-0. After Kent State scored a run in the bottom of the inning, Pinder hammered a three-run homerun in the top of the second to put Tech up 6-1. Chad Morgan (C) added a solo homer in the fourth, but Kent State added two runs in the bottom of the inning and two more in the eighth to tie the game.

In the ninth, Zagunis doubled in Pinder and later scored on a throwing error. Matt Dauby (2B) singled in Kyle Wernicki (RF) for the eventual winning run. Alex Miklos hit a two-run homer for Kent State in the bottom of the ninth to pull within one. Evan Campbell grounded out to third with runners on first and third to end the game and give the Hokies a season-opening win.

Offensive highlights:
Chad Pinder -- 2-3, 5 RBI, 2B, HR
Mark Zagunis -- 2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB, 2B

WP: Jake Joyce (1-0): 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 K.
LP: Josh Pierce (0-1): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB
S: Clark Labitan (1): 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K.

GAME 2 :: Virginia Tech 8, Kent State 1 (Saturday, Feb. 16)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Kent State 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 2
Virginia Tech 1 0 2 0 0 5 0 0 0 8 13 1

Gary Schneider (1B) scored on a fielder's choice by Tyler Horan to open the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Kent State answered with a run in the top of the second inning, but the Hokies responded with two in the bottom of the third. Horan doubled in Chad Pinder (3B) and Pinder scored on a single by Andrew Rash (CF) to give the Hokies a 3-1 lead.

Alex Perez singled in Horan in the bottom of the sixth and Pinder blasted a three-run homer to put the Hokies up 7-1. Horan doubled and Mark Zagunis (LF) scored on a fielding error to give the Hokies their eighth and final run. Brad Markey pitched seven innings for the win, striking out five and allowing eight hits.

Offensive Highlights:
Chad Pinder -- 2-3, 3 RBI, HR
Tyler Horan -- 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Andrew Rash -- 2-4, RBI

WP: Brad Markey (1-0): 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 SO
LP: Casey Wilson (0-1): 5.1 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 SO

GAME 3 :: Virginia Tech 9, UNC Wilmington 0, 8 inn. (Saturday, Feb. 16)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Virginia Tech 0 1 2 0 2 2 2 0 x 9 12 1
UNC Wilmington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 0 3 2

Brendon Hayden (1B) opened the scoring for the Hokies after a single by Matt Dauby (2B) in the second inning. Tech would add two more in the third Tyler Horan (LF) singled in Gary Schneider (RF) and Mark Zagunis (C) scored on a throwing error. Schneider and Zagunis both scored again in the top of the fifth inning on a double by Andrew Rash (CF). Schneider crossed the plate for a third run in the sixth inning, this time by hitting a two-run homer that also plated Dauby. Sean Keselica (DH) hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to cap the scoring for the Hokies. Devin Burke allowed just one hit over six innings and struck out six. Keselica closed out the game with two innings of work, giving up two hits.

Offensive Highlights:
Gary Schneider: 1-1, 2 RBI, HR, 3 R, SB
Andrew Rash: 1-4, 2 RBI, 2B
Sean Keselica: 1-3, 2 RBI, HR

WP: Devin Burke (1-0): 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO
LP: Jordan Ramsey (0-1): 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO

GAME 4 :: Virginia Tech 7, UNC Wilmington 2 (Sunday, Feb. 17)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Virginia Tech 2 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 9 2
UNC Wilmington 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 3

Mark Zagunis (C) singled in Alex Perez (SS) and Gary Schneider (RF) later scored on a wild pitch to give the Hokies two in the opening frame. Matt Dauby (2B) scored on an RBI-single by Chad Pinder (3B) and Pinder and Schneider later scored on a double by Zagunis. UNC Wilmington scored a run in the bottom of the second inning, but Tech answered right back as Chad Morgan (DH) scored on a passed ball. The Seahawks scored another run in the bottom of the third, but again the Hokies answered back as Zagunis scored.

Offensive Highlights:
Mark Zagunis: 4-5, 3 RBI, 2B, 2 SB
Gary Schneider: 2-4, 2 R, SB

WP: Tanner McIntyre (1-0), 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
LP: Blaze Tart (0-1): 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 1 SO
S: Jake Joyce (1), 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 SO

SERIES STATS

Offensive:

Chad Pinder -- 5-14, 9 RBI, 2 HR, 2B

Mark Zagunis -- 8-16, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 6 R

Gary Schneider -- 5-14, HR, 2 RBI, 3B, 9 R

Pitching:

Jake Joyce -- 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, win, save, 2 hits, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts

Devin Burke -- 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, win, 1 hit, 6 strikeouts

Brad Markey -- 1.29 ERA, 7.0 IP, win, 8 hits, 1 run, 5 strikeouts

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