Baseball falls to Virginia Tech, 2-1

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech scratched across a run in the bottom of the eighth and then held on to earn a 2-1 victory over the Bryant University baseball team in game one of doubleheader on Saturday.

The Bulldogs and Hokies will play game three of the series later on Saturday.

With the game tied 1-1, the Hokies put runners on the corners and then stole home on a suicide squeeze attempt. Zach Brzykcy made it stand up as he stranded a runner at third with back-to-back strikeouts in the top of the ninth.    

Game Information
Virginia Tech 2, Bryant 1
Records: Bryant (3-5), Virginia Tech (8-1)
Location: English Field (Blacksburg, Va.)
W|L|S: Zach Brzykcy (2-0) | Justin Snyder (0-1)

Key Moment

• Virginia Tech was able to score the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as Nick Biddison took off for home on a suicide squeeze. The pitch was in the dirt and Biddison slid in safely.   

How it Happened

• Bryant struck first with a run in its first at-bat. With runners on 1st and 2nd, junior Chris Wright (Cumberland, R.I.) hit a ground ball up the middle that was fielded on a dive by the shortstop. The throw to first was wild, allowing a run to score.
• Virginia Tech tied the game with a two-out rally in the second. Jack Owens doubled with two outs and came around to score on a single from Dalton Harum.
• The Hokies then took the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Nick Biddison walked, went to third on a single to right and then stole home on an attempted suicide squeeze.

Stats

• Bryant outhit Virginia Tech, 9-7.
• The Bulldogs played error-free baseball for the second-straight day.
• Senior Steve Theetge (Syracuse, N.Y.) allowed just one run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.  
• Senior Craig Lacey (Westfield, Mass.) tossed a scoreless inning, allowing one hit.
• Redshirt sophomore Ryan Ward (Millbury, Mass.) had two hits.
• Classmate Jimmy Titus (Stafford, Conn.) singled and walked twice.
• Sophomore Shane Kelly (Sewell, N.J.) collected two hits in his return to the lineup.
• Freshman Jake Gustin (Peabody, Mass.) singled and scored Bryant's only run.

Notes and Notables

• Bryant is now 5-4 all-time against Virginia Tech.
• Ward has now hit safely in each of his last nine games dating back to last year.
• Theetge has allowed three earned runs or less in all three of his starts so far.

Up Next

Bryant and Virginia Tech wrap up their three-game series on Saturday night.