Virginia Tech vs VMI Baseball Recap

(18) Virginia Tech 9, VMI 2

The Virginia Tech Hokies used multiple home runs, always-valuable clutch hitting, and solid pitching to defeat the VMI Keydets, 9-2, on Tuesday evening.

The Hokies started freshman Joe Mantiply in this game, and the 18-year-old from Danville, Virginia, pitched three strong innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two.  Although Mantiply boasts a 5.06 ERA on the season, the freshman showed solid command of his fastball and was able to throw 25 of his 36 pitches for strikes.

The Hokies' bats came alive in the early going, as junior Tim Smalling homered over the left-field fence to give Virginia Tech a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Tech would add an unearned run in the third before Buddy Sosnoskie hit a two-run shot to straightaway center to give the Hokies a 4-0 lead.  Sophomore Ronnie Shaban scored later in the inning, extending the Hokies' lead to five.

VMI struck back in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run by pinch hitter Rob Dickerson. However, the Hokies' pitching stifled the Keydets' offense over the final four innings, holding the VMI batting order to just two hits.

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In the sixth inning, junior Austin Wates walked to start off the inning for Virginia Tech. That free pass was quickly followed by an RBI triple from Shaban on a deep line drive into the corner. Wates scored as Shaban slid safely into third base.  Shaban later scored on a sacrifice fly by Smalling, giving the Hokies a commanding 7-2 lead.

However, the run-producers from Tech weren’t done, as the Hokies managed to manufacture two more runs in the top of the seventh.  After a four-pitch walk, Sosnoskie was able to score on a VMI error, giving the Hokies a six run lead.  On the next play, senior Steve Domecus hit a standard-issue ground ball to the shortstop, but junior Tony Balisteri was able to score on yet another VMI throwing error. The Keydets tossed and kicked the ball all over the yard, and that's why this game turned into a decisive seven-run thumping for the victors from Blacksburg. The Hokies held the Keydets hitless in the final two innings and were able to coast to the finish line without breaking much of a sweat. 

With this win, the Hokies were able to pick up their 29th victory on the season and are now able to set their sights on a long-awaited home series with the Boston College Eagles this weekend.

By: Justin Clark
ACC Fans Guest Writer