Hokies open ACC series with victory over Boston College

Connor Coward improved to 5-0 and Sam Fragale hit two home runs in 16-4 win

March 31, 2017

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston College (8-15)	0	0	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	4	8	2
Virginia Tech (15-13)	0	1	2	0	2	7	0	4	X	16	22	0
EF at Union Park - 324 Box Score Photo Gallery

BLACKSBURG – A seven-run sixth inning turned a two-run contest into a Virginia Tech blowout as the Hokies defeated the Boston College Eagles by a score of 16-4 Friday evening in ACC action at English Field at Union Park. It was the 10th straight win for the Hokies over the Eagles in Blacksburg.

Tech’s starting pitcher Connor Coward tossed five innings and allowed just three runs to improve to an ACC-best 5-0 on the season. Meanwhile, the offense pounded out 22 hits which included two home runs off the bat of Sam Fragale, giving him an ACC-high tying 11 for the season. His game-high six RBI were one off of his career high set this season opening day at USC Upstate.

The Hokies (15-13, 4-6 ACC) used a solo home run by JD Mundy in the second to open the scoring and a Fragale’s first home run of the night broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth. The sixth, though, proved to be the difference in the game as 12 Hokies went to the plate and Joe Freiday, Jr. and Ryan Tufts each drove in two to highlight the frame. It was the fourth time this season Tech has scored seven or more runs in a single frame.

Boston College (8-15, 1-9 ACC) had a 2-1 lead in the top of the third and tied the game in the fifth on a Gian Martellini RBI double. The Eagles could only manage a single run in the seventh the rest of the way.

All nine Hokies scored at least one run in the game and reached base at least two times, while all but one drove in at least a run.

Inside the box score

• Mac Caples: two runs, sixth multi-run scoring game of the season, 10th of his career.
• Rahiem Cooper: two doubles, four for the season, 11 in his career; two hits, fifth multi-hit game of the season, 15th of his career; two runs, fifth multi-run scoring game of the season, 12th of his career.
• Coward: five strikeouts, third time this season, sixth time in his career with at least five;
• Fragale: two home runs, 11 for the season, 19 for his career; third career multi-HR game; three hits, 10th multi-hit game of the season, 26th of his career; six RBI, 12th multi-RBI game of the season, 25th of his career; three runs, sixth multi-run scoring game of the season, 15th of his career.
• Freiday, Jr.: two RBI, fifth multi-RBI game of the season, ninth of his career.
• Mundy: home run, fourth of the season and his career; career-high tying three hits, third career multi-hit game.
• Packy Naughton: two strikeouts, pushing his career total at Tech to 150.
• Jack Owens: career-high tying four hits, 14th career multi-hit game, fourth game with at least four hits; two runs, 10th multi-run scoring game of his career; 19th straight game reaching base.
• Tom Stoffel: two doubles, nine for the season, 25 for his career; career-high five hits, 11th multi-hit game of the season, 29th of his career; two runs, sixth multi-run scoring game of the season, 13th of his career.
• Tufts: 100th consecutive start, including 83 straight at shortstop; double, 12th of the season, 34th of his career, three hits, 13th multi-hit game of the season, 41st of his career; two RBI, sixth multi-RBI game of the season, 16th of his career; two runs, 11th multi-run scoring game of the season, 26th of his career and includes the 100th run of his Tech career.

More Tech notes

• Hit three home runs and now have 52 for the season. The Hokies led the nation in home runs entering the weekend, just ahead of Wake Forest (48). The 52 home runs are the most hit by a Tech team since the 2013 squad hit 55.
• Were hit by two pitches on the day to push season total to 48. The Hokies were third in the nation coming into the weekend in HBPs, trailing leader Louisiana Tech (55).

Up next

• The two teams will continue the three-game ACC series at English Field at Union Park with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Saturday.

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