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	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	2	5	0
The Citadel (1-0)	0	0	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	4	6	0
Joe Riley Park - 402 Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Virginia Tech baseball team was held in check most of the night and lost a 4-2 decision to The Citadel Bulldogs in both team’s season opener of the 2016 campaign.

The Bulldogs’ JP Sears picked up the win on the mound after a five-inning, 12-strikeout performance, while Packy Naughton suffered the loss after tossing 5.2 innings and striking out seven. Zach Lavery earned the save for The Citadel.

How the runs were scored

• The Citadel (1-0) opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Mike Deese and Austin Mapes. The Bulldogs tacked on a second run on an RBI single by Drew Ellis to take a 2-0 lead.
• Tech (0-1) cut its deficit in half in the sixth on a two-out, RBI single by Phil Sciretta that scored Sam Fragale – who walked to open the frame.
• The Bulldogs pushed their advantage to 4-1 on a two-run home run by Ellis in the sixth.
• The Hokies got another two-out RBI when Fragale doubled to center in the seventh to plate Matt Dauby.

Inside the Box

• The Opening Day start for Saige Jenco was the 100th of his Tech career, while freshman Stevie Mangrum started his first game for the Hokies.
• Tom Stoffel made his first start since the 2014 season, after missing all of last year with an injury.
• Sciretta had a pair of singles in the contest, his 19th career multi-hit game for the Hokies, and reached base three times.
• Packy Naughton struck out a career-high seven batters in the contest. His previous high was six at ETSU (4/15/15).
• Connor Coward retired all five batters he faced, three via the strikeout.
• Jenco had five putouts in center, two shy of his career high.
• Dating back to last season, Jenco has now reached base in 21 straight games, with a hit-by-pitch and a walk, but his 19-game hitting streak came to an end.

Additional Notes

• Today’s game marked the first time since May 21, 2011 that Alex Perez was not in the Tech starting lineup, a span of 223 straight games.
• Tech starting pitcher Packy Naughton became just the second Hokie sophomore to start on Opening Day in the past dozen years, with Joe Mantiply (vs. Indiana, 2011) being the other.
• The Hokies and Bulldogs faced each other to open the 2014 season, with The Citadel registering a 6-2 win on Feb. 14.
• Tech is now 62-59-2 all-time in season openers.

Up next
Tech will continue its three-game series with The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with Nic Enright getting the ball for Tech and Thomas Byelick scheduled to start for the Bulldogs.

For updates on Virginia Tech baseball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Baseball