TOBY ELLIOTT Blacksburg baseball coach Toby Elliott couldn't have asked for a better spring break.

The Wildcats finished their busy spring break with a 3-1 record after routing Southside, 26-4, on Friday.

Dustin Byars was big again for the Wildcats, posting three wins.

"Dustin pitched great for us and that's what we needed," Elliott said.

Blacksburg improves to 6-5 in the region and remains alive for the fourth and final playoff spot. The Wildcats can clinch that spot with a win Tuesday against Chesnee.

"It was a great week," Elliott said. "We struggled a little offensively against Carolina, but every aspect of our game was in sync."

The Wildcats also beat Broome and Carolina last week. Chapman was the lone team to beat Blacksburg.

Friday's game against Southside was never in doubt. The Wildcats exploded for 11 runs in the first inning to take command.

Ashby Pruitt and Brent Humphries both drove in five runs and homered to lead the 19-hit attack.

Blake Tharpe had four RBIs and Josh Scruggs knocked in three runs for the surging Wildcats.

Ryan Dellinger, Tyler Moss and Byars combined on the six-hitter.

In the first inning, the Wildcats sent 15 batters to the plate. Pruitt led off the inning with a single. After two walks, Humphries followed with a 2-run single.

Dellinger, Pruitt and Norman also had runscoring hits. Two other runs scored on a throwing error to cap the big inning.

After retiring the Wildcats in order in the second, the Southside starter was roughed up for 13 runs in the third inning.

Pruitt's grand slam and Humphries' three-run blast highlighted the offensive fireworks.

Blacksburg capped its scoring with two runs in the fourth.

Southside scored three runs in the second and added a run in the third.