Picard’s Pitching Propels Bryant Past No. 14 Virginia Tech
By Jacob Sawyers
Staff Writer
February 24, 2023
Coleman Picard's career-hgih 12 strikeouts led Bryant to a 7-3 upset over No. 14 Virginia Tech. (Virginia Tech Athletics)
BLACKSBURG — A strong outing from Bryant pitcher Coleman Picard helped to secure a Friday win against the No. 14 Virginia Tech, 7-3.
“[Picard] was throwing a lot of sliders and breaking balls, which he really didn’t seem to do last week,” Tech head coach John Szefc said after the game. “It was really a mix of him throwing very well and our guys not being able to adjust to it.”
While the Hokies (3-2) recorded nine hits during the game, they failed to put the ball in play during key moments. Through five innings on the mound, Picard struck out 12 of the 19 batters he faced. His elite performance turned a Virginia Tech team averaging 14 runs over their last three games into a stagnant offensive squadron.
Tech started Griffin Green at pitcher, who quickly gave up four runs to the visiting Bulldogs. Two of those four runs came off the bat of catcher Jackson Phinney after a deep homer to left field. The 6-foot-3 right-hander eventually settled down and posted three-straight scoreless innings, but the damage had already been done.
In the early going, the Hokies found a spark from second baseman Christian “Chick” Martin, who has now posted multiple hits in three-straight outings. In the bottom of the second, Martin sent a well-striped ball out into centerfield, ushering teammate Chris Cannizzaro past home plate.
“You can’t get too high or too low, so I’m just trying to stay at an even level this year,” Martin said about his early success. “I’ve been taking every game as a lesson, and we will just need to come back tomorrow and play our game.”
Even still, the typically high-powered Hokie hitters failed to produce quality at-bats during the third, fourth and fifth innings. A baserunning blunder by Cannizzaro and Jack Hurley taking two foul balls to the knee also drained the energy from the heart of the lineup. During this stretch, Picard continued to wheel and deal, which culminated with five consecutive strikeouts.
“All credit to [Picard]. He was throwing a lot of breakers and commanded them well,” Cannizzaro, the Bucknell transfer who is proving his value at the No. 2 spot, said. “I was trying to sit more on the breaking stuff and wait for the fastball, which seemed to help a little bit.”
Picard was replaced by lefty Chase Jeter in the bottom of the sixth, but Bryant’s comfortable lead was never in jeopardy. Jeter relinquished two earned runs to VT shortstop David Bryant and third baseman Carson DeMartini.
During this time, the Bulldogs kept their feet on the gas pedal. Bryant’s barrage of runs was spearheaded by Gavin Noreiga, Jake Gustin, James Myler and Jackson Phinney, who all recorded at least one RBI.
The Hokies found another silver lining in Brady Kirtner’s right arm. Kirtner struck out the side on 14 pitches in the seventh inning, which silenced Bryant’s scoring onslaught for the remainder of the game.
The Bulldogs (1-3) will look to continue Friday’s success on the mound, while Virginia Tech looks to bounce back and connect more at the plate on Saturday. For a team with as much recent success as the Hokies, games like this serve as a reminder to get back on track and set new precedents.
“We were thoroughly beaten last Friday as we were today, and you’re not putting many balls in play when you strike out 16 times,” Szefc said. “You always hate getting thumped at home, but I feel pretty confident in our guys bouncing back tomorrow and putting some good stuff together.”
This is a Virginia Tech team that chalked up its first regional championship last season, so hearing confidence from coaches and players after a loss isn’t very surprising. The Hokies were in the same spot last week against the College of Charleston but handily defeated the Cougars in subsequent contests.
The scores and results may vary, but the philosophy remains the same: win, lose, and learn lessons that will help the team contend for a title this summer.