Three Takeaways From Virginia Tech's 2-1 Series Win Against Rutgers

Josh Poslusny breaks down three takeaways from Virginia Tech's series win over Rutgers. Read more below.

Luke Craytor delivers a pitch in game three vs Rutgers in 2026. | Virginia Tech Athletic

BLACKSBURG, Va. — After suffering a 16-1 loss that marked its worst defeat since 2024, Virginia Tech walked off one thriller, survived a snow-filled rubber match and walked away with a series victory.

The Hokies dropped the opener to Rutgers in lopsided fashion Friday night, only to respond with a 9-8 extra-inning win Saturday and a 4-3 grind in 36-degree snowfall Sunday at English Field. Instead of allowing the loss to linger, Virginia Tech (6-1) closed the weekend by winning the final two games against a veteran Rutgers club that tested its pitching depth, infield defense and late-game composure.

Here are three takeaways from the crucial series win.

No. 1: This team has elite pitching

Yes, Rutgers scored 16 in game one, but eight of those runs were in the eighth inning when the game was all but decided. In games two and three, Virginia Tech permitted 11 runs — 10 earned — against an offense that came into the series scoring nearly nine runs per game.

Virginia Tech's three starters threw a combined 11 innings, surrendering six earned runs and consistently getting the team to the middle parts of games. Those numbers aren't fantastic, but they are solid.

Going into Texas next weekend, Renfrow should be given a heavier load after throwing just five innings across his first two starts in 2026. The coaching staff will likely also be reliant to have Stieg and Grim be available to go deeper and deeper into outings as the season goes on.

Not to meantion the bullpen. Sans the 11 runs in the 7th and 8th innings in game one, they pitched 15 innings, surrenduring just six runs, good for a 3.60 ERA. They also had 21 strikeouts to 12 walks. The walk number is one that you certainly want to bring down, but it is primarily inflated by the outings of Peyton Smith, Brody Roe and Aiden Robertson, who combined to walk six batters in a single inning pitched. That trio only combined for one strikeout over the weekend as well.

That will bring us into the next takeaway, though.

No. 2: Walks need to be controlled

Virginia Tech’s pitching staff struck out 38 batters over 28 innings against Rutgers — a swing-and-miss number that plays anywhere in the country. But the 19 walks issued in that same span temper the excitement.

On paper, a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio is solid. In a vacuum, it suggests a staff capable of missing bats while limiting damage. But when those walks translate to more than six free passes per nine innings, it becomes a concern, particularly against the caliber of opponents awaiting in the coming weeks.

Some of the inflated numbers came from bullpen arms in leverage spots, but those are precisely the innings that matter most. Aiden Robertson and Peyton Smith are two pitchers that Virginia Tech views as high-impact options late in games. Smith has shown encouraging signs early — 1.2 innings, three strikeouts, one earned run — but he has also issued two walks. Robertson’s adjustment has been more uneven. In 5 1/3 innings this season, he has walked eight batters, creating unnecessary traffic in key moments.

There is a natural transition period for Robertson as a junior college transfer adjusting to Division I hitters and tighter strike zones. Still, if he is going to hold down a high-leverage role — as the staff envisions — the command must sharpen.

The strikeout stuff is clearly present. The margin for error, especially against a multitude of upcoming Top 25 opponents, will be far smaller. Limiting free passes may be the difference between winning tight games and putting too much pressure on the bullpen behind them.

No. 3: Ethan Grim is a star in the making

Through two starts, freshman right-hander Ethan Grim has looked far more advanced than his résumé suggests. In Sunday’s rubber match, Grim delivered 3 2/3 innings of composed, swing-and-miss baseball against a Rutgers lineup that had already proven it could score in bunches.

He struck out six and consistently attacked the zone with a fastball that has late life and a breaking ball capable of finishing at-bats. More importantly, he never appeared rattled. Rutgers put traffic on the bases at times, but Grim worked with tempo, trusted his defense and avoided the kind of big inning that can unravel a freshman starter.

That composure stands out. Young arms often show flashes of stuff before they show consistency. Graham has already shown both. His ability to generate strikeouts early in counts gives Virginia Tech a legitimate weekend weapon moving forward.

Head coach John Szefc said after the game that Grim has exceeded expectations, noting his steady progression since the fall. The tools are evident, but so is the poise. For a team entering a two-week stretch against multiple Top 25 opponents, having a freshman who can stabilize the front half of a series changes the outlook.