Utilizing understated, yet effective offense and a premier Brett Renfrow start, Virginia Tech dashed Indiana State in Game 1 of East Carolina’s Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C., on Friday.
The Sycamores (5-4) were the highest-rated opponents (No. 74) in Tech’s three-foe round-robin weekend, according to the Massey Ratings, but the Hokies (7-2) took advantage of their mistakes and made few to claim a 10-2 victory.
Manassas, Va., native Renfrow tossed five runless innings and a Tech season-high nine strikeouts for his first win of the year. The Sycamores hit off the sophomore six times, but he stranded all seven runners that loomed behind him.
The Hokies found ways to score without stringing hits together. Before a three-run surge in the ninth inning, Jared Davis’ RBI knock in the second was Tech’s only run-plating hit. Its first two runs came off bases-loaded walks, three were plated via sacrifice and one was born of an Indiana State error.
Garrett Michel had his most complete offensive outing of the season, batting 3-for-5 with two doubles, a walk and three runs. He’s yet to strike a multi-game stride since returning from a season-ending wrist injury sustained last year, but Friday was a step in the right direction for the junior.
Sam Tackett and David Lewis each hit 2-for-5, continuing their respective hot streaks away from Blacksburg. Tackett boasts a .472 batting average, bested only by Jackson Cherry’s .500 (12 at-bats), who had 3 RBI in his 1-for-2 outing Friday.
Cherry, a Mercer transfer, is used sporadically but has taken advantage of limited opportunities. The graduate student took a full-count, bases-loaded walk to plate Lewis for Tech’s first run, then got on base twice more off an error and single before Hudson Lutterman pinch-hit for him in the ninth inning.
Lutterman, a freshman, scored Tackett (doubled) with a two-base knock to rekindle an offense that went down in five or less batters the three previous innings.
Davis and Ben Watson were hit by Indiana State pitcher Cole Chase — who lasted a single out — to bring up catcher Anderson French. The fre shman singled to plate Cam Pittman (pinch-ran for Lutterman) and Davis for his third and fourth career RBI. Chase walked Lewis to load the bases for Michel, who grounded out after a pitching change to end Tech’s scoring at 10.
The final four-batter side was orchestrated by Penn State Harrisburg transfer Josh Berzonski, who made his first appearance for the Hokies after working back from an offseason injury. It took 25 pitches, but he rebounded from a leadoff walk to retire three straight and draw the final curtain.
McNeese State transfer Cameron LeJeune, another likely bullpen arm battling back from injury, was closer to returning than Berzonski, according to Tech head coach John Szefc last Monday. He has yet to make an appearance but could throughout the rest of the LeClair Classic.
Indiana State’s two-run spot came as Andrew Sentlinger succeeded Renfrow to start the sixth inning. The junior was singled off twice in seven pitches, then delivered a 3-2 walk to Jeremy Martinez to put aboard his first three batters. Thomas Emerich flied out to tag in Miguel Cantu, then Eli Gipson sacrificed on the ground to plate another.
Sentlinger’s subsequent wild pitch to advance Martinez to third was his final lapse. He settled in to retire the next five batters and six of his final eight to cap off a three-strikeout comeback outing. He was relieved by Luke Craytor with an out to go, who walked Gipson then punched out Pena in four tosses. Berzonski replaced Craytor in the ninth, signaling another appearance for the Lafayette transfer this weekend.
The Hokies return to Clark-LeClair Stadium on Saturday for Game 2 of their round-robin weekend. First pitch against Kent State (1-5) will come at noon ET. Things will culminate on Sunday against East Carolina (3-5) on ESPN+.
Box Score: Virginia Tech 10, Indiana State 2