14 Inside Hokie Sports So with Siverling’s 2022 season largely compromised due to injury, could it have been tough in the slightest for him to watch history unfold without the satisfaction of pitching the Hokies to victory during the course of the spring? According to him, not in the least. Could it have potentially fueled him to come back as strong as ever and be a major piece of what could be another special run for the highly-regarded Hokies in 2023? No doubt. But one thing’s for sure, whatever role Siverling plays in the upcoming season will be one he’ll surely make an effort to embrace. “I’m really excited to get back out there,” Siverling said. “Obviously, [I’m] wanting to compete for a job and [I’m] wanting to compete for a role and be a big contributor on the team. “But, I also realize that maybe my role won’t be on my mound, but maybe my role is leading a small group on the team and being a guy on the sideline picking them up and being the one that brings them together in ways they’ve never seen before.” That’s not exactly a trait just learned, but rather enhanced after unexpectedly spending a season’s length in the dugout. Sure, Siverling eyes returning to his 2021 form in which he amassed nearly 30 innings pitched for the Hokies across a team-best 22 appearances. But he takes so much more with him as he embarks on yet another chapter in his Virginia Tech career. “I just want to be the best teammate I can be, in every way,” Siverling said. “I know whether I’m on the field or off the field, I can have an impact either way. My wealth is in the cross, and my identity is in Jesus. Not in the field. “So, if I can bring that to the team, to my teammates, to my friends on that team, in addition to what I bring to the field every day … that’s kind of my expectation. I’m just looking at it like I’d love to contribute any way I can.” MATTHEW SIVERLING Continued from page 13
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