Hokies Blank Diamond Heels In Series Opener

Friday, April 28

Blacksburg, Va.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

April 28, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Anthony Arguelles pitched 7.1 innings of shutout ball, and Virginia Tech beat North Carolina 7-0 on Friday in game one of the three-game series at Atlantic Union Bank Park.

Eddie Eisbert hit a two-run double in the second inning, David Bryant hit a two-run home run in the fourth, and Brody Donay and Christian Martin went back-to-back in the eighth. The Hokies collected 10 hits in support of Arguelles (2-1), who limited the Tar Heels to five hits while striking out seven.

UNC starter Connor Bovair (4-2) pitched seven innings, struck out five, and walked two, allowing five runs on eight hits. He retired the first four men he faced before the next five all reached as part of the Hokies' three-run second.

The Tar Heels missed opportunities to answer in the third and fourth inning after their first two hitters reached to start each frame.

Alberto Osuna walked, and Johnny Castagnozzi singled to begin the third, but Arguelles' struck out Colby Wilkerson and Vance Honeycutt and then retired Jackson Van De Brake on a fly ball to center that nearly left the ballpark.

Casey Cook and Mac Horvath laced back-to-back singles to start the fourth, but Arguelles got a flyout and a ground ball double play to end the inning.

Arguelles retired six of the final eight batters he faced before Brady Kitner finished it with three strikeouts in the last 1.2 innings.

Cook's fourth-inning single tied him with Adam Greenberg for the second-longest on-base streak by a UNC freshman since 1999 at 31 games.

Due to the threat of severe weather in the area on Sunday, the series' final two games will be played Saturday as a doubleheader. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 2:30 p.m. and be streamed on ACCNX, while game two is slated for a 7 p.m. start and will be televised on ACC Network.