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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (2-1)	3	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	5	9	0
Mercer (1-2)	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2	0	4	5	1
Claude Smith Field - 288 Box Score

MACON, Ga. – A little drama in the late frames, but the Virginia Tech baseball team registered a 5-4 victory over the Mercer Bears in nonconference action on Sunday afternoon at Claude Smith Field. The Bears had the tying run on third base in both the eighth and ninth, but the Hokies literally hung on for the win.

The game started with Tech’s offense continuing where it left off on Saturday, as the Hokies notched four straight hits to start the contest. Saige Jenco singled – the third straight day he led off the game with a hit – and so did Alex Perez and each scored when Erik Payne hit his fourth career home run, but first in a Hokies’ uniform.

Brendon Hayden followed with a single, but was left stranded, when Mercer starter DJ Johnson finished the first by striking out the side.

In the second, Jenco recorded his third straight day with a multi-hit game, and his third straight game with an extra-base hit, when he homered to left to put Tech up 4-0. The Hokies then loaded the bases, but Johnson ended that threat with another strikeout.

Mercer (1-2) used a Kyle Lewis solo home run in the third to get on the board and a Howard Joe single and run – scored courtesy of three wild pitches – in the fourth cut its deficit in half at 4-2.

Tech (2-1) got one back in the fifth when Kyle Wernicki tripled home Mac Caples, who was hit by a pitch to reach base.

The Bears made it a one-run game in the eighth by plating a pair and had the tying run at third with two outs. However, Perez, who had come in to pitch, struck out Joe to end that threat, but a leadoff double in the ninth by Danny Edgeworth and a sacrifice bunt from Matt Meeder put the tying run again on third.

This time, the Hokies went to Sean Kennedy, who with the infield in, got a grounder to third which Sean Keselica made a great play on the throw, to catch it and come back to tag the runner, Tyler Homer, at first. The next batter, Trey Truitt hit an almost identical grounder and Keselica did it again, snatching the throw, holding the bag and securing the win.

Tech starter Jon Woodcock threw a Tech career-high six innings and allowed two runs on two hits and walked two. He also struck out a Tech career-high seven batters to pick up the win on the mound as Kennedy got the save, the third of his career.

Tech will take the week off before heading back out on the road for a scheduled four-game series in Buies Creek, North Carolina this upcoming weekend. The Hokies are scheduled to play Rider and the host Campbell Camels on Friday in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m., then face each team again once on Saturday (Rider, 1 p.m.) and Sunday (Campbell, 4:30 p.m.).

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