Virginia Tech holds off VMI Keydets, 8-3

The Virginia Tech Hokies scored the final six runs of the game on the way to an 8-3 win over the VMI Keydets, Tuesday night in Blacksburg, Va.

VMI (23-21) took a 3-2 lead to the fifth, looking for its first season sweep of the Hokies since 1962, but Tech (19-26) scored once in the bottom of that frame to knot the score.

Stevie Mangrum then broke the tie with a solo homer in the sixth off Eric Byrd, and a two-run double by JD Mundy pushed the margin to three. Tech would add two more runs in the seventh on a single by Andrew Webb, accounting for the final margin.

The winning pitcher on a staff day for both teams was Nic Enright (2-3), who pitched 2 1/3 hitless innings. Andrew McDonald struck out seven of the eight hitters he faced in 2 2/3 innings, and picked up his fifth save. Byrd dropped to 1-1 with the loss.

Matt Dunlevy (2 for 3, two doubles) and Nathan Eaton (3 for 4) led the Keydet offense, while Jake Huggins chipped in two hits as well. Webb and Sam Fragale had three hits apiece to pace Tech.

VMI baseball will return to action Wednesday night, playing host to Old Dominion at 6 p.m.