Hammerin' Hokies Upset no. 6 Miami

Ryan Wilkes

February 27, 2021

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Eleven straight games against Miami resulted in defeat for Virginia Tech.

On Friday night, the narrative changed.

Virginia Tech (4-0, 1-0) defeated No. 6 Miami (2-2, 0-1), 5-3, for its third win at Mark Light Field in program history.

Things weren’t looking too bright early on for the Hokies early on when starting pitcher Peyton Alford allowed two runs to come across the plate in the bottom of the first.

Tech wasted no time responding, as Jonah Seagears ripped a single into left field, scoring Kevin Madden to cut the Canes lead to one.

Later in the frame, Cade Hunter mashed a two-run home run to left field, his second in as many games. And on one swing, the Hokies’ one-run deficit was turned into a one-run lead as the home run sledgehammer was thrown into the arms of Hunter and air-pounded into the ground.

In the top of the third, the hammer made its second appearance of the night following a T.J. Rumfield two-run home run, his third of the year, giving Virginia Tech a 5-3 lead.

After the third, both pitching staffs settled in.

Daniel Federman found his footing after struggling early on, giving the Canes six innings and striking out seven Hokie hitters. Federman kept the Canes within striking distance, but after the two-run first inning, Miami’s offense sputtered.

Freshman Jake Garland set the Canes up to steal the game from the Hokies, throwing three hitless innings with five strikeouts. Miami was held scoreless after the third inning thanks to a dominant overall performance from the mound by the Hokies.

Peyton Alford provided three so-so innings for Tech, holding the Hurricanes offense to just a single run in the bottom of the third when Miami loaded the bases with just a single out in the frame.

The bullpen, too, did not disappoint. Manager John Szefc went to the bullpen much earlier than anticipated and called on freshman Matthew Siverling to hold Miami’s offense — which was on the brink of exploding all evening.

Silverling was brilliant out of the bullpen, throwing four scoreless frames, tallying six strikeouts on just 54 pitches and completely eliminated any havoc Miami sought to create.

Sean Connolly came in for the final two innings, shutting the door on the Canes for his second save of the year.

The Hokies and the Canes face off Saturday night in the second game of the series at 7 p.m., where the Hokies will have a chance to clinch the series over an ACC foe that has reigned supreme over the years.