Virginia Tech vs Duke Baseball Recap

(15) Virginia Tech 18, Duke 8

There has been no shortage of offense so far in the three-game series between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Duke Blue Devils. It's all to the advantage of the boys from Blacksburg, Virginia.

Tech won the first meeting of this weekend set, 11-3, on Friday night.  Under a beautiful, cloudless sky on Saturday afternoon, the Hokies once again pulled out the big bats and outscored Duke, beating the Devils by an 18-8 count.

Virginia Tech’s Ronnie Shaban stole the show, driving in six runs on 4-for-5 hitting.  His three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth untied a 6-all game and allowed the Hokies to take the lead for good. 

The Blue Devils saw first baseman Jake Lemmerman blast another two-run home run, his second of the series so far.  Lemmerman finished 1 for 4 on the game with his homer coming in the top of the first inning.

Mathew Price started the game for the Hokies but was rocked for nine hits and five earned runs in just four innings of work.  Price was searching for his eighth victory of the year but was pulled while the game was tied. He was given a no-decision on the day. His replacement, Marc Zecchino, got the win by pitching the final five innings of the game and holding the Blue Devils to just two earned runs over that stretch.

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Duke’s starter, Eric Pfisterer, faced 20 batters in this game, but unfortunately those 20 batters contributed to his short 3 1/3-inning stay on the mound.  Pfisterer struggled to find the plate on the afternoon, striking out just two while allowing seven earned runs. 

The Blue Devils jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in this affair but in the bottom of the second inning, Michael Seaborne blasted just the fourth grand slam this season for the Hokies, tying the game at four apiece. Duke was able to battle back and take a 6-4 lead on a balk by Price, but a six-run fourth inning allowed Tech to take a 10-6 lead and officially take control of this game. 

Zecchino entered in the fifth and shut down the Devils the rest of the way while the Hokies managed to add a few more insurance runs to finish off game two of this series with a 10-run win. 

Tech and Duke will play game three tomorrow at 1 p.m. Eastern at English Field in Blacksburg.

By: Justin Clark
ACC Fans Guest Writer