BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Tanner Schobel had three hits, scored three times and drove in three runs and No. 4 overall seed Virginia Tech used a 14-run inning to coast to a 24-4 win over Columbia on Saturday night, landing a spot in the championship game of the Blacksburg Regional.
The Hokies (43-12) were trailing 2-1 heading into the fourth inning when they sent 17 batters to the plate, scoring 14 runs on 10 hits, four walks and a hit batter. That is the most runs in an inning since joining the ACC, the school’s all-time record is 17 set in 1989.
Schobel started the scoring with a three-run double. Carson DeMartini had a bases-loaded double and Nic k Biddison followed with an inside-the-park home run. Cade Hunter capped the onslaught with a two-run double.
Columbia (31-17) faces Gonzaga, the team the Lions beat on Friday, in a loser-out game early Sunday with the winner getting a shot at Virginia Tech later in the day. It would take a second win over the Hokies on Monday to reach the Super Regional.
Biddison, Jack Hurley and DeMartini had three RBIs and five other Hokies drove in two runs. Biddison and Gavin Cross, who also homered, scored three runs. Gehrig Ebel homered, the first of his career, as Virginia Tech had eight extra-base hits among its 20 in the game. The Hokies also had four hit batters and drew 15 walks from seven different Columbia pitchers.
The Hokies spread the pitching duties among six pitchers with second man up Jordan Geber (1-1) getting the win.
Austin Mowrey had three of Columbia’s eight hits, Joshua Solomon had two RBIs and Skye Selinsky had a solo home run.
