1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Georgia Tech (20-10) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 1 |
Virginia Tech (16-15) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
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BLACKSBURG – Brendon Hayden blasted his 20th career home run as a Virginia Tech Hokie, however, the team’s bullpen was unable to hold off Georgia Tech in the final frames and the Yellow Jackets opened up the three-game ACC series with an 11-5 victory on Friday night at English Field.
After Georgia Tech (20-10, 6-7 ACC) started the scoring in the second frame with a pair of runs, the Hokies got single runs in the third and fourth on RBI singles by Saige Jenco and Phil Sciretta to tie the game at 2-2.
In the fifth, Hayden came up with runners on the corners and belted a 2-1 Jonathan King pitch over the right field wall for a three-run shot that put Virginia Tech ahead 5-2.
Sean Keselica labored through six innings allowing the two earned runs and actually struck out the final two batters of the sixth. He went out for the seventh and three of the first four Yellow Jacket batters he faced reached base. He was relieved with a runner on first, one out and the Hokies still leading 5-4.
The Hokies’ bullpen, though, allowed Georgia Tech to plate the tying run in the seventh, score an unearned run in the eighth and tack on five runs in the top of the ninth as insurance.
Rahiem Cooper had a three-hit night for the Hokies, the first of his career, while Erik Payne, Andrew Mogg and Hayden each had two hits. For Payne, who also scored twice, he extended his reached base streak to 30 consecutive games, the longest Hokie streak since 2012.
Matthew Gorst picked up the win out of the Yellow Jacket bullpen and is now 2-2, while Sean Kennedy suffered the loss and is now 1-3.
The Hokies (16-15, 6-7 ACC) will continue their three-game ACC set with Georgia Tech on Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch at English Field.
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