Collegiate Times

After dropping the first of a two game series on Tuesday, the Hokies baseball team bounced back at English Field one day later, defeating the East Tennessee State Buccaneers 10-2 on Wednesday afternoon.

The Hokies improved to 5-1 with the win and didn't even need their scheduled starting pitcher to do it.  Josh Wymer had to be scratched in the morning after coming down with back spasms. 

It was up to the Hokies relief staff to get it done over nine innings, instead.

The Tech pitching staff responded - holding the Bucs to just six hits and allowing zero earned runs all day.

"Any time your middle relievers are that competitive and take advantage of an opportunity to help you win a ball game and throw that well," Tech head coach Pete Hughes said, "it makes you feel good for your depth and your pitching staff."

The Hokies got on top of ETSU early when junior catcher Steve Domecus delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to put the Hokies up 3-0.

After East Tennessee State quickly swung back with 2 RBI single's in the next frame, it didn't take long for the Hokies to add some comfort back to their lead.

In the bottom of the second, sophomore second baseman Tony Balisteri drove in Junior right fielder Mike Kaminski and Tech went up 4-2 after Kaminski reached base on an error to lead off the inning.

"When we've got everybody doing their job with situation hitting and we've got a guy on third, no outs - we've got to get him in," Balisteri said. "We did that today and that turns the whole ball game around."

After nearly five frames of scoreless baseball, the Hokies finally put the game away in the seventh.

Tech plated six runs on six hits in that inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Balisteri and a sacrifice fly by Domecus, who both had 3 RBI's on the day.

Freshman pitcher Clark Labitan earned his first win of 2009, improving his record to 1-1 after two innings of work and allowing a pair of unearned runs.

Kyle Cichy, Brandon Fisher, Ronnie Shaban and Jesse Hahn were the other arms used to help a starter-less Hokie squad.

Fisher struck out five batters over the course of three innings and Hahn, a fellow sophomore, struck out the side in the top of the ninth to close it out.

Despite playing nearly flawless ball Wednesday, Hughes said there's still much to work on as Atlantic Coast Conference play gets closer.

"These guys are trying to build some confidence to find a niche for themselves," he said. "We challenged them today and that's a pretty physical offensive team."

Wednesday's loss was the first of the season for an East Tennessee State team that is looking at a promising year in the NCAA's Atlantic Sun conference.

"We've got to play better defense. You can't give ACC opponents four outs or five outs an inning," Hughes said.

With league play staring them down with a road trip to Duke in early March, the Hokies are at an important time in the season.

"We're going to shore up our infield play and we're going to get a little more aggressive playing offense," Hughes said.

"I was really happy with our middle relief, but right now we've got to bring energy level to the park and bring better defense."

Next is the Hawthorn Suites Hokie Invitational, where Tech will host Bucknell to kick off the tournament Friday at 3 p.m.