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Baseball

No. 14 Virginia Tech to open 2023 at College of Charleston

Pledge Per Run Virginia Tech Notes

No. 14 Virginia Tech (0-0, 0-0 ACC) 
at College of Charleston (0-0, 0-0 CAA) 

Friday, Feb. 17
The Ballpark at Patriots Point
4 p.m. ET
FloBaseball
Virginia Tech Sports Network

Saturday, Feb. 18
The Ballpark at Patriots Point
2 p.m. ET
FloBaseball
Virginia Tech Sports Network

Sunday, Feb. 19
The Ballpark at Patriots Point
1 p.m. ET
FloBaseball
Virginia Tech Sports Network


BLACKSBURG – On the starting block of one of the program's most anticipated seasons, the No. 14 Virginia Tech baseball team (0-0, 0-0 ACC) will begin its 2023 quest to Omaha this weekend when it descends on College of Charleston (0-0, 0-0 CAA) at The Ballpark at Patriots Point (Feb. 17-19).
 
Friday through Sunday's games between the Hokies and the Cougars will air live on FloBaseball with coverage beginning at 4 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Fans may also listen to all three games as called by the voice of Tech baseball, Evan Hughes, on the Virginia Tech Sports Network.

PROBABLE STARTERS
• Friday:  Griffin Green (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Ty Good (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Saturday:  Drue Hackenberg (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Trey Pooser (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Sunday:  TBD vs. TBD
 HAMMERIN' HEADLINES

  • Virginia Tech begins the 2023 season ranked No. 14 by D1Baseball and as high as No. 13 by Baseball America. The Hokies are ranked in all six leading college baseball polls.
  • Tech is the defending ACC Coastal Division champion, having achieved the league's best regular season record (19-9) behind their program records in ACC regular season wins and series wins (nine).
  • Virginia Tech earned the No. 4 national seed in the 2022 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship – its highest all-time mark. The Hokies hosted their first NCAA Regional since 2013, sweeping Wright State and Columbia (twice) to win their first NCAA Regional championship and advance to the program's first NCAA Super Regional (as staged in its home ballpark).
  • Following its deepest postseason run, Virginia Tech is one of four preseason favorites to win the 2023 ACC championship, per the 2023 ACC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll. The Hokies are seeking their first trip to Omaha at the Men's College World Series.
  • Virginia Tech's 2023 roster houses two returning All-Americans (Drue Hackenberg Jack Hurley) and two Freshman All-Americans (Carson DeMartini, Drue Hackenberg). Additionally, four Tech student-athletes have garnered 2023 Preseason All-American praise: junior outfielder Jack Hurley (consensus), sophomore pitcher Drue Hackenberg, sophomore infielder Carson DeMartini and sixth-year reliever Kiernan Higgins.
  • Jack Hurley represents Virginia Tech on the 2023 Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list, the first iteration in USA Baseball identifying the best U.S. amateur baseball player. Last summer, Hurley competed on the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team at Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands and accompanied 19 of his Team USA teammates on the 55-player prospect list.
  • The Hokies are equipped with seven student-athletes who were ranked in D1Baseball's 2023 Preseason Player Rankings: Carson DeMartini (No. 5 third baseman), Jack Hurley (No. 5 outfielder), Drue Hackenberg (No. 14 starting pitcher), Carson Jones (No. 39 outfielder), Eduardo Malinowski (No. 39 second baseman), David Bryant (No. 48 shortstop) and Griffin Green (No. 115 starting pitcher).

OPENING WEEKEND

  • Virginia Tech is 66-61-2 all-time on Opening Day and 10-8 during its tenure in the ACC (since 2005). Under head coach John Szefc, the Hokies have turned in a 3-2 record on Opening Day and won two consecutive season-opening games.
  • During the 2022 season, Virginia Tech roared to the 17-3 Opening Day victory against UNC Asheville in Blacksburg – the program's most lopsided Opening Day win since 2009. Debuting their electric offense that would ultimately rank second nationally in team slugging percentage (.574), the "Hammerin' Hokies" combined to swing five home runs while cranking out 22 hits, rallying for eight runs during the bottom of the fifth inning. Leading off the game's second inning, then-freshman third baseman Carson DeMartini homered on the first collegiate pitch of his first collegiate at-bat, dropping his first of 15 rookie home runs over the outfield wall.
  • Virginia Tech combined to outscore UNC Asheville, 35-8, during the opening series of the 2022 season. The Hokies outhit the Bulldogs, 42-16, while accounting for 17 extra-base hits (nine doubles, one triple, seven home runs).
  • Tech's 2022 season-opening sweep of UNC Asheville featured three nearly flawless outings from its three season-opening starting pitchers. Griffin Green, Drue Hackenberg and Ryan Okuda combined to toss 15 scoreless innings, registering 17 strikeouts while allowing four hits and three walks.
  • The Hokies are 1-1 all-time against College of Charleston. Tech's 1993 victory at College of Charleston (5-3) was earned during the Cougars' third NCAA Division I varsity season. In 2015, the Hokies played to the 8-3 defeat against a Charleston side that went on to finish the regular season ranked No. 15 nationally in D1Baseball's top 25 poll.
  • College of Charleston (37-20) won the 2022 CAA regular season championship courtesy of its 19-5 conference record. The Cougars have achieved three 35-win seasons under the leadership of sixth-year head coach Chad Holbrook, who has notched eight 30-win campaigns across his 10 head coaching seasons.
  • In 2014, then-Maryland head coach John Szefc knocked Chad Holbrook's South Carolina Gamecocks out of the NCAA Columbia Regional, defeating them twice by scores of 4-3 and 10-1.

COMINGS & GOINGS

  • Virginia Tech produced arguably its most prestigious MLB Draft class all-time during the summer of 2022 as four of its five selections came off the board during the opening five rounds. Third-year outfielder Gavin Cross was chosen at No. 9 overall by the Kansas City Royals, becoming Tech's highest all-time MLB Draft pick. Sophomore shortstop Tanner Schobel (Minnesota Twins) followed at No. 68 overall during the second round, fourth-year utility man Nick Biddsion (Los Angeles Dodgers) was taken at No. 135 overall during the fourth round and third-year catcher Cade Hunter (Cincinnati Reds) was selected at No. 153 overall during the fifth round. Fourth-year relief pitcher Graham Firoved (Baltimore Orioles) rounded out the Hokies' five 2022 MLB Draft picks during the 16th round while fifth-year starting pitcher Jordan Geber signed as an undrafted free agent with the New York Mets.
  • Among the new faces in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech welcomes potential starters Anthony Arguelles (fifth-year pitcher) from Miami (Florida), David Bryant (fifth-year shortstop) from Radford, Chris Cannizzaro (fifth-year outfielder) from Bucknell, Eddie Eisert (junior utility player) from NC State. Bryant was named to the 2021 All-Big South Second Team while Cannizzaro twice placed onto the All-Patriot League First Team (2021, 2022), in addition to him winning the conference's 2021 batting title with his .355 average. Arguelles totaled 36 relief appearances during his 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Hurricanes, compiling 44 strikeouts and a 6-1 record during 37 and one-third innings of work.
  • According to Perfect Game, Virginia Tech's 2022 recruiting class ranks No. 23 nationally and as the ninth best among ACC programs.
  • Freshman right-hand pitcher Tommy Szczepanski was selected during the 19th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, though declined his pro pursuits to honor his commitment to Virginia Tech.

 

UP NEXT

  • Virginia Tech will return to Blacksburg for its 2023 home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 21, against ETSU. First pitch between the Hokies and the Buccaneers is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
  • The Hokies' season-opening home stand features 13 games at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park beginning Feb. 21 and running through Tech's ACC-opening series against Boston College (March 10-12).
  • Tickets to Virginia Tech's five ACC regular season home series against Boston College (March 10-12), Virginia (March 31-April 2), Georgia Tech (April 14-16), North Carolina (April 28-30) and Clemson (May 12-14) are still available at all pricing options. Purchase your tickets today.
  • Fans, before making your way to English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park this season, consider reviewing the ballpark's 2023 Visitors Guide.