Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – With its power arms combining for 16 strikeouts without issuing a walk on Friday afternoon, the Virginia Tech baseball team bounced back from its slow start to put away William & Mary, 9-2, during both teams’ season-opening game at English Field.
Junior right-hander Preston Crowl weaved seven strikeouts into five scoreless relief innings, earning the winning decision after starter Brett Renfrow had toed two innings, surrendering a two-run home run to Liam O’Neil. Crowl took over at the start of the third inning with the Hokies trailing, 2-1, comfortably reaping the benefits as his offense piled on seven runs through the remainder of his outing.
Sophomore southpaw Chase Swift struck out five of the six batters he faced through his scoreless eighth and ninth innings as Virginia Tech (1-0) notched one of its best season-opening pitching performances spanning recent history. In total, the Hokies’ arms landed 90 of their 125 pitches for strikes (72 percent), allowed one leadoff batter to reach base and held the top two batters in the Tribe lineup hitless (combined 0-for-8, four strikeouts).
“[That was] just a good first time out for our guys,” said Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc. “Such a well-pitched, defended game. It’s hard to not have success when you give up one free base and don’t walk a hitter.
“Just quality baseball from a lot of different guys.”
Anderson French’s solo home run with two outs during the bottom of the fifth inning cemented Virginia Tech’s control of the ballgame, putting them in front at the time, 4-2. Two batters later, after Pete Daniel had extended the inning with his infield single, sophomore transfer first baseman Sam Grube (Mount St. Mary’s) threaded the gap in left center with his second of three doubles (career high), scoring Daniel to pad the Hokies’ lead at 5-2.
Grube led Virginia Tech with three RBIs from the ninth spot in the batting order, reaching base four times, once as a hit batsman. Leadoff center fielder Treyson Hughes, despite going hitless, chalked two RBIs on two batted balls that plated the Hokies’ first two runs of the game: a sacrifice fly during the second inning and an RBI groundout during the fourth inning.
Fifth-year transfer third baseman Owen Petrich (Saint Joseph's) delivered Virginia Tech its final lead during the fourth inning with his RBI double that lured center fielder Chase Ecker into an oncoming dive. Grube, who had taken second base on the preceding RBI groundout by Hughes, scored with ease as the Hokies jumped in front for the first time, 3-2.
Freshman second baseman Ethan Ball capped the scoring for Virginia Tech during the eighth inning, belting a first-pitch, RBI single into left field for his first collegiate hit. By game’s end, eight of the Hokies’ nine hits – including four doubles – were recorded by newcomers on the roster.
William & Mary (0-1) walked nine batters and hit three batsmen while accounting for eight strikeouts. Left fielder Louie Bartletti went 2-for-4 to lead the Tribe at the plate.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will close out the weekend against William & Mary on Saturday, Feb. 14, with a 1 p.m. ET doubleheader against the Tribe. Game two will follow approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
REMAINING PROBABLE STARTERS
• Saturday (Feb. 14) - Game 1: Jack Pye (RHP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Griffin Stieg (RHP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA)
• Saturday (Feb. 14) - Game 2: Connor Jernigan (RHP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Ethan Grim (RHP, 0-0, 0.00 ERA)