No. 23 VT takes down RU

Leading from wire to wire on Tuesday night, the No. 23 Virginia Tech baseball team returned to prime form on both sides of the ball as the Hokies downed Radford, 7-1, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Sixth-year outfielder Chris Cannizzaro batted 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run, leading Tech with three RBIs – his best total since March 24 at Boston College. Christian Martin and Ben Watson chalked two hits apiece from the top of the Hokies’ lineup with Watson scoring on Cannizzaro’s eighth home run of the season.
Virginia Tech (24-10) kept marching forward throughout the night against Radford (10-23), staking the 3-0 lead after three innings of play before doubling its advantage to 6-0 by the end of the fifth inning. The Hokies – who defeated the Highlanders, 14-4, in nearby Radford on Feb. 27 – had a shutout brewing until the ninth inning when Zack Whitacre broke through with a solo home run hit off Wyatt Parliament.
Six Virginia Tech pitchers combined to rack up 10 strikeouts while holding Radford to four hits, including two hits through the game’s first six innings. Right-hand reliever Grant Manning blanked the Highlanders during the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, picking up nine outs from 11 batters faced while recording three strikeouts.

Christiansburg alum Brady Kirtner improved to 5-0 upon earning the victory for his scoreless inning of relief while David Shoemaker and Matthew Siverling also contributed to the Hokies’ shutout bid.

Game notes:

Zack Whitacre recorded his sixth home run of the season for Radford. This home run will place him in a tie for the second most on the Radford roster with Hunter Keen who also has six on the season. The home run is also just one shy of Whitacre’s season high.

Whitacre’s home run will also make it his 21st RBI of the season putting him in a tie for fourth with Cameron Pittman in the category.

 Staff report