Virginia Tech baseball beat the Radford Highlanders Tuesday, 22-2, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
The win was the Hokies’ (3-0) fourth straight over Radford (2-2). Tech leads in the all-time series 49-15. The 22 runs were the most scored by the Hokies in series history.
Ryan Okuda (1-0) got the call for Tech, his first start since March 10, 2020. His last appearance was against William and Mary when he struck out eight and allowed only two runs in five innings.
The Hokies scored 22 runs on 17 hits, including a home run from Cade Hunter and two home runs from TJ Rumfield.
Radford jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Hokies answered in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game. Four hits in the bottom of the third, including Rumfield’s bomb to right field, improved Tech’s lead to 4-1. The Hokies would add 17 more runs in the late innings to secure the 22-2 outcome.
Okuda pitched three strong innings, striking out three and not allowing an earned run.
Tech’s relief pitchers threw six innings against the Highlanders notching eight strikeouts and allowing only one earned run.
NOTES
Rumfield’s home runs were his first in a Hokie uniform and the first of his career. His five RBIs were a career high and matched Carson Taylor’s game-high last season versus William and Mary.
The previous mark for most runs scored in the series was set on March 26, 1997, when the Hokies beat Radford, 21-4.
In the last five years, Dalton Harum in 2017 is the only player other than Rumfield to hit more than one home run in a game.
–VT Athletics