Offense powers Hokies to 18-7 victory over Wagner

Every starter had either a multi-run or multi-RBI game in blowout win

March 6, 2018

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	R	H	E
Liberty (15-17)	0	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	6	0
(16) Virginia Tech (22-8)	0	0	4	0	0	0	8	1	13	7	0
EF at AUBP - 1,267 Box Score

DELAND, Fla. – The Virginia Tech offense woke up in a big way on Tuesday night at Melching Field. The Hokies registered season highs in both runs (18) and hits (18) en route to an 18-7 victory over Wagner in nonconference action as Jack Owens, Nick Owens and Cam Irvine led the charge combining for nine runs, 11 hits and six RBI.

The Hokies (5-7) put crooked numbers up on the scoreboard in each of the first three frames and overall batted around three times in the contest, scoring five runs each time. Highlighting those innings was Sam Fragale’s first home run of the year, a three-run shot, in the first, Irvine’s third hit of the contest that knocked in his second run of the game in the third, and Jack Owens’ two-RBI double in the fifth.

Every Hokie in the starting lineup had either a multi-run or a multi-RBI game, with Jack Owens, Nick Owens, Tom Stoffel and Irvine collecting both along with adding a multi-hit game as well.

On the mound, Ryan Okuda got the start and tossed a season-high 4.1 innings for Tech, but did not throw enough to factor in the decision. Out of the bullpen, Paul Hall, Jr. set a career high in innings pitched (3.0) and strikeouts (4) to earn his first collegiate win.

Inside the Box

• Michael Fernandez – double, first collegiate extra-base hit; two hits, second career multi-hit game; two runs, first multi-run scoring game of the year.
• Fragale – home run, first of the season, 24th of his career; season-high four RBI, fourth multi-RBI game of the year, 35th of his career; 16th game with three or more RBI, sixth with at least four.
• Hall, Jr. – career-high 3.0 innings pitched; career-high four strikeouts; also struck out the side in the seventh, first time in his career.
• Luke Horanski – two runs, first multi-run scoring game of his career; hit by three pitches, most since Steve Domecus was hit by three vs. UNC Ashville (Feb. 20, 2009).
• Irvine – two doubles, three for the season; a season-high four hits, second multi-hit game of the season; two RBI, first multi-hit game of the year; stolen base, first of the year; two runs, first multi-run scoring game of career.
• Nick Menken – two RBI, third multi-RBI game of the season.
• JD Mundy – two RBI, first multi-RBI game of the season, fifth of his career.
• Okuda – first collegiate start; season-high 4.1 innings pitched; season-high tying three strikeouts.
• J. Owens – three hits, his second was the 100th of his Tech career; fourth multi-hit game of the season, 28th of his career; second time this season 14th time in his career with at least three hits; career-high four runs, third multi-run scoring game of the season, 19th of his career; stolen base, 5-for-5 this season, 14 stolen bases in his career; two RBI, first multi-RBI game of the season, seventh of his career; double, second of the season, 18 in his career.
• N. Owens – season-high three runs, first multi-run scoring game of the season; season-high four hits, fourth multi-hit game of the year; two RBI, first multi-RBI game of the season; double, second of the season.
• Stoffel – two RBI, second multi-RBI game of the season, 28th of his career; his first RBI was the 100th of his Tech career; three runs, first multi-run scoring game of the season, 17th of his career; fourth career game with at least three runs; two hits, sixth multi-hit game of the season, 44th of his career.

Additional Notes

• The 18 runs scored by the Hokies are the most since they pushed 24 across the plate at Nevada, Feb. 26, 2017.
• The 18 hits are the most since March 31, 2017 versus Boston College (22).
• This was just the second meeting all-time between the two programs, with the Hokies winning the first, 14-2, back on March 14, 2012 in Blacksburg.
• In the Sunshine State, Tech is 50-99 all-time, which includes a 16-14 mark in DeLand. They are now 36-34 in neutral site games in the state, 15-6 in DeLand.

Up Next

• Tech will complete its Florida trip on Wednesday afternoon by taking on Central Michigan. The game is set for a Noon first pitch at Melching Field in DeLand.

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