familiar faces hope to spring hokies back to life against toledo

Sam Alves

May 8, 2021

Virginia Tech's Chris Gerard throws a pitch against Florida State on March 13. Gerard could be back on the mound for the first time in nearly a month after re-injuring his groin in a start against Wake Forest on April 11. (Virginia Tech Athletics)

BLACKSBURG — Three weeks remain in the regular season, and Virginia Tech has change on its mind.


A strong start saw the Hokies (24-17, 16-14 ACC) briefly atop the Coastal division, but injuries and a youthful roster unaccustomed to the grind of a full ACC season have their season in a nosedive.


Enter the Toledo Rockets (15-23, 13-12 MAC) and for Tech, potentially injured starting pitcher Chris Gerard and catcher Cade Hunter at some point during this weekend’s three-game set (doubleheader Saturday, game three Sunday).


After last weekend’s series loss to Virginia, head coach John Szefc said pitching coach Ryan Fecteau hoped to have Gerard go at least one time through the Toledo order in preparation for next weekend’s series at Duke and the season finale against No. 7 Notre Dame.


Beyond that, the Hokies have locked up a spot in the ACC tournament and are still positioned for an NCAA tournament selection.


Szefc also expects catcher Cade Hunter to be back then, too, though his availability this weekend is more nebulous returning from a broken hamate bone.


“[Hunter] can throw, maybe, I’d say 70% because [the injury] is [in] his throwing hand,” Szefc said Sunday. “The hitting will be the last thing for him because you get the friction in the hand when the ball hits the bat. I’d like to think he’d be active, ready to play next weekend against Toledo.”


“How much? Hard to say. But I think we’d like to get him in there to kind of get some dirt in his cleats next weekend if he’s ready for that.”


Whoever squares up behind the plate will have to be ready for the MAC’s leading slugger, junior Chris Meyers, who’s hitting .383 with a .512 on-base percentage and whose 13 home runs on the year are just three short of the Toledo single-season record.


Meanwhile, the Hokies will look to record their first series win in a month. In three straight weekend series against Georgia Tech, NC State and Virginia, slugger Gavin Cross hasn’t had too many chances to hit with runners in scoring position or even just aboard.


A few blasts and a couple regulars back in the lineup can shake Tech out of their funk and have the Hokies flying high once again.