Baseball Report Week 12: Hokies Sweep Ohio at Home

The Hokies picked up a nice win against Ohio University in their first game of the series 14-1 after a solid performance by the batting lineup. While RHP Brett Renfrow is awarded the win for the game one with 5 innings pitched, 7 strikeouts and 3 hits allowed, it was left fielder Ben Watson, designated hitter Eddie Eisert, and third baseman Carson DeMartini who racked up the hits. These three standouts combined for 7 hits and 4 runs on the game. Just when the bats were starting to heat up, first baseman Gehrig Ebel hits a single-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth.

The Hokies won game two of Saturday's double header in similar fashion 14-2. Though the bobcats managed to earn one more run than earlier in the morning, the Hokies batting was too hard to beat. Center fielder Chris Cannizzaro and first baseman Gehrig Ebel both tallied home runs to bring in a combined five runs in the second and third innings. While your typical Blacksburg Bombers, second baseman Christian Martin, third baseman Carson DeMartini, and shortstop Clay Grady combined for 6 hits with 6 runs. Though, I think it is safe to say that the standout of game 2 was first baseman Gehrig Ebel with 2 hits, 2 runs, 1 homer, and 4 RBIs on the night.

The Hokies closed the case on the Ohio Bobcats on Sunday morning with their final series win to secure the sweep 11-2. Much like Saturday, the boys came with their bats hot and ready to finish what they started. Center fielder Chris Cannizzaro, left fielder Ben Watson, and second baseman Christian Martin all had 2 hits with 2 runs on the game. 

The weekend series sweep leave the Hokies with only two weekends of ACC play left before the conference tournament. Looking to face Miami on Friday, packing another series win under their belt in ACC play would put the Hokies in better seeding position going into the conference tournament. 

The first game of their home series against Miami will begin Friday at 7 pm at English Field.

The rematch with Liberty was far from a repeat of April's eight-inning, 13-3 win over the Flames. In their last meeting, nobody in the Liberty bullpen could find a rhythm on the mound, throwing eight pitchers, four of whom never recorded an out. They walked 14 Hokies, leading to a mercy win with just seven hits.

This time around, Tech put up a few additional hits, but the Flames' bats had the upper hand. A big five-run B2 put Liberty up 6-4, overcoming Tech's forceful start with two doubles and a single to score four. Liberty was able to hold fast to the momentum, rallying for a pair of three-run innings in B3 and B4 while shutting out VT to lead 12-4. 

Chris Cannizzaro brought four more runs in with three homers (two solo and one with Watson on 1st), but no other Hokies could make their way around the bases. Cannizzaro's dominant performance kept a win within reach, but once again it came down to the guys left on base. Nine Tech players were stranded in total, at least one in all but the 3rd and 6th innings.