BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Leadoff batter Nick Biddison had a RBI triple and a solo home run, Tanner Schobel hit a two-run shot in the first inning and No. 4 overall seed Virginia Tech cruised past Columbia 7-2 on Sunday to win the Blacksburg Regional and earn a berth in the Super Regionals.
The Hokies (44-12) won all three of their games — beating Wright State 15-9 in the opener before out-scoring Columbia 31-6 in the final two games to capture the title.
Virginia Tech used Schobel’s homer in the first and and Biddison’s triple in the second to grab a 3-0 lead.
The Lions (32-18) got a run back in the top of the third when Andy Blake drew a two-out walk and scored on a triple by Tyler MacGregor.
The Hokies took control with a four-run fifth. Carson Jones walked with one out and moved to third on Conor Hartigan’s two-out single. No. 9 batter Carson DeMartini homered to score three and Biddison followed with a solo shot for a 7-1 lead.
Columbia’s final run came in the eighth when Blake led off with a walk and scored on a two-out single by Anton Lazits.
Reliever Graham Firoved (5-0) allowed a run on a hit and two walks in 2 1/3 innings to get the win.
Joe Sheets (2-2) retired just seven batters in a start for Columbia. He yielded three runs on five hits and five walks.
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