Marc Zecchino pitched Virginia Tech to a 9-1 win over High Point, limiting the Panthers to one run en route to his first career complete game effort Tuesday night at English Field.

Virginia Tech scored the game's first six runs although High Point threatened right away in the first inning.  Jeff Cowan was hit by a pitch to start off the game and was sacrificed over to second base by Alfie Wheeler.  After a walk to Bill Manion, Billy Alvino singled through the right side loading the bases.  Unfortunately, Kyle Mahoney grounded into a 6-4-3 double-play to end the inning.

The Hokies would get three two-run homeruns over the first three innings of the contest to account for all six runs.  In the first, Austin Wates and Michael Seaborn both went yard while Mike Kaminski hit a homerun in the third inning.  Through three complete innings, VT held a 6-0 advantage.

HPU got on the board in the fourth inning.  Alvino started it off with a double off the left-centerfield wall followed by a single to centerfield from Mahoney putting runners on first and third.  Max Fulginiti doubled down the leftfield line, scoring Alvino and placing both runners in scoring position.  A flyout to shallow rightfield didn't allow Mahoney to tag-up for the first out.  After a strikeout, Pablo Rosario laced a ball right at the second baseman for the third out of the inning, keeping the score 6-1 in favor of the home team.

  VT tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning.  After a fly out, Seaborn drew a walk.  Ronnie Shaban then doubled to leftfield bringing in Seaborn.  Spencer Andrews came on in relief and walked the first batter before giving up a single to leftfield scoring Shaban.  He then got Klint Reed to strike out and a great leaping catch by Cowan took a hit away from Steve Bumbry.

Wheeler singled to start off the last threat High Point would have in the contest.  He was forced out on a fielder's choice allowing Manion to reach.  Alvino would single to centerfield putting runners on first and second with one out.  Another double-play would to end the inning would end the rally.

The final run of the contest came in the bottom half of the inning started by a Chris Kay walk.  After a strikeout, Reed singled advancing Kay to second and Steve Bumbry singled up the middle scoring Kay. 

Alvino and Fulginiti were the only Panthers with multiple hits, picking up three and two, respectively.  Fulginiti extended his hitting streak to 31-games, one shy of tying the Big South Conference record of 32.  Manion improved his hitting streak to 12 games with his single in the fifth inning.  Cowan has now been hit by a pitch 16 times this season, one shy of tying the HPU single-season record set last season by Alvino.

Virginia Tech improves to 26-17 on the season while Zecchino's record goes to 1-3.  The right-hander allowed eight hits, walked one and struckout five batters.  High Point drops to 17-24 while Brian Jones falls to 2-5 on the year.

The Panthers return to action tomorrow night, April 29 when it hosts intra-Triad rival UNC Greensboro at Williard Stadium.  First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.