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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (1-1)	0	0	2	0	1	5	0	2	1	11	14	1
Mercer (1-1)	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	4	5	4
Claude Smith Field - 413 Box Score

MACON, Ga. – The Hokies’ bats came alive in the second game of a three-game nonconference series against Mercer Saturday afternoon at Claude Smith Field. Virginia Tech had six players with multi-hit games and three Hokies had at least two RBIs as the team registered an 11-4 victory over the Bears.

With the victory, Tech evens the series against Mercer and one game each with the deciding game to be played on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Tech (1-1) took advantage of a number of fielding miscues by the home team to plate its first three runs of the afternoon.

In the third, a bad hop on a grounder to second baseman Devin Bonin allowed Alex Perez to get on base and he moved to third when Mercer appeared to have him picked off, but shortstop Matt Meeder couldn’t handle the throw and Perez advanced to third.

Erik Payne followed with an infield single to score Perez and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brendon Hayden then popped a ball up in front of the pitcher’s mound and no Bear caught it which enabled Payne to cross the plate and make it 2-0.

In the fifth, Perez again reached on a fielding mishap, this time an error was charged to Bonin. He took second on a groundout and scored on a Mac Caples single to left.

For Mercer (1-1), it was again Trey Truitt providing a long ball to open its offense, as a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth erased the Hokies’ advantage and gave the Bears a 4-3 lead.

Tech starter Aaron McGarity cruised through the first four frames. After allowing a leadoff walk, he retired 10 straight Bears and 12 of 13. However in the fifth, back-to-back walks and a hit-by-pitch set up Truitt’s hit.

The Hokies answered the Bears four spot with five of their own in the top of the sixth with a two-out rally. Logan Bible drew a walk and five straight hits later – single by Saige Jenco, RBI single by Perez, two-RBI double by Payne, RBI double by Hayden, RBI single by Caples – Tech led 8-4.

Perez and Payne each scored again in the eighth as Hayden and Max Ponzurick drove them in to pad the Hokies lead at 10-4. Payne added his fourth RBI of the game in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to center scoring Bible.

McGarity picked up his first collegiate win with his five-inning effort, while Mercer starter Connor Herd suffered the loss. Luke Scherzer earned his first save of the year after tossing the final three frames and striking out a career-high six batters. He took over for Packy Naughton, who tossed a scoreless sixth, in his collegiate action.

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