The Virginia Tech Hokies scored four runs in the first to take an advantage they would never relinquish, en route to an 18-0 victory over the VMI Keydets Wednesday night at English Field in Blacksburg.
After the leadoff hitter was retired, Adam Lopez (0-3) walked the next two hitters. One out later, Ronnie Shaban drove in a run with an RBI single, the first of three consecutive RBI hits that would put the Hokies up, 3-0. Chad Pinder capped that run with a single, and after a walk to Alex Perez, Chad Morgan capped the first inning scoring with an RBI single of his own. Tech would go on to add a run in the 2nd, three in the fourth and then eight in the sixth, before finally capping the scoring in the eighth with two tallies.
Lopez took the loss for VMI (14-32), throwing the first inning and being charged with four runs, while Patrick Scoggin (2-1) threw five two-hit innings to lead Virginia Tech (32-16) to the shutout.
After taking a 4-0 advantage, the Hokies added a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Rash. VMI then threatened in the third, as Drew Bryan led off with a single and two outs later, Jacob Morley was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. Scoggin, however, retired Brandon Diamond to escape the jam, and Tech went on to add three runs in the fourth. Those markers came on three solo home runs, as Tyler Horan, Rash and Pinder all went deep to left center, long balls that landed within a 25 to 30 foot span of each other beyond the wall. The homers gave the home team an 8-0 lead.
VMI again threatened in the sixth, as with one out, Morley and Diamond had back to back singles, but Michael Donovan bounced into a double play to end the inning. Tech then put eight runs on the board in the bottom half, sending 13 men to the play and taking advantage of six hits, an error and three hit batters to pull out to a 16-0 advantage.
The scoring ended in the eighth, when Kyle Wernicki had a RBI single and Perez drove in a run with a groundout to cap the scoring, 18-0.
Diamond led the VMI offense with a 2 for 4 night, while Rash was 3 for 3 with four RBI for the Hokies.
VMI baseball will return to action Friday, May 11, when the Keydets play host to the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. Game time for the opener of the three-game Big South series is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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