Baseball: Virginia Tech, Virginia complete big opening weekends; Liberty, VMI fall

#14 Virginia Tech gets series win in Charleston

#14 Virginia Tech slugged its first three home runs of the season as it breezed past College of Charleston, 15-2, to clinch the teams’ season-opening series at The Ballpark at Patriots Point.

With Virginia Tech (2-1) controlling the 4-1 lead and lying two runs during the fourth inning, junior first baseman Eddie Eisert carried Charleston starter Aidan Hunter’s 1-1 pitch to right field for a two-run home run – his first in a Tech uniform since transferring from NC State.

Junior outfielder Jack Hurley capped the Hokies’ seven-run fourth inning by delivering a three-run home run to right field while rookie catcher Garrett Michel led off the fifth inning with his first career homer – a solo shot that extended Tech’s lead to 10-1.

#19 UVA completes 3-0 weekend with two-hit shutout

#19 Virginia (3-0) handed host UNCW its first loss of the year with a 7-0 win on the final day of the Hughes Bros. Challenge in Wilmington, N.C.

Cavalier hurlers Jack O’Connor, Jake Berry and Jay Woolfolk limited the Seahawks to two hits and combined for 12 strikeouts.

O’Connor, making his collegiate debut, pitched the first five innings, allowed one hit and struck out seven UNCW batters. O’Connor allowed his only hit in the first inning and faced the minimum (12 batters) in his final four innings of work.

Berry relieved O’Connor and the sixth and allowed one hit over three innings of work.

Woolfolk threw 10 pitches and struck out two in a clean ninth inning.

Jake Gelof hit a three-run homer in the first inning and finished the day 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBI. He has two home runs and nine RBI in his first three games of the season.

Ethan O’Donnell and Kyle Teel each put together multiple-hit efforts as UVA collected 10 hits on day.

Southern Miss finishes off sweep of Liberty

#18 Southern Miss defeated Liberty, 7-2, Sunday in their series finale at Pete Taylor Park.

Liberty catcher Gray Betts went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Rightfielder Camden Troyer hit his first home run of the season for the Flames (0-3).

Mississippi State takes rubber match with VMI

VMI held an 3-0 lead early on Sunday, but Mississippi State rallied for a 9-3 win from Dudy Noble Field in non-conference play.

The Keydets had come back from nine runs down on Saturday to overcome the 2021 NCAA Champion Bulldogs 14-13 on Saturday.

VMI went ahead 1-0 in the first after Ty Swaim led off the game with a double and came around on a Zac Morris single.

The Keydets scored two in the third as a Brett Cook single plated Justin Starke and Cook came around to score later in the inning on a Cole Jenkins fielder’s choice.

The Bulldogs scored two in the third and one in the fourth to tie the game and took the lead with a run in the sixth. Miss. State broke the game open with five in the eighth.