Virginia Tech Drops 11-6 To UVA In Game 1

Virginia Tech jumped out to an early lead and briefly reclaimed momentum midway through the game, but a pair of home runs and a costly seventh inning proved too much to overcome in an 11–6 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers Friday night at Disharoon Park.

Virginia Tech (8-8, 1-3 ACC)) collected seven hits and at one point led 4–3, but four defensive errors allowed Virginia (15–3, 3-1 ACC) to extend innings throughout the night, leading to five unearned runs in the Cavaliers’ series-opening victory.

The Hokies struck first in the top of the first inning. Nick Locurto reached after being hit by a pitch and Ethan Ball followed with a single to put two runners aboard. With two outs, Hudson Lutterman lined a single down the left-field line, scoring Locurto and giving Virginia Tech a 1–0 lead.

Virginia answered immediately in the bottom half after an error helped the Cavaliers manufacture two runs. AJ Gracia reached on a fielding error by Locurto in left field before Sam Harris tied the game with an RBI single. Harrison Didawick then ripped an RBI triple to right field, giving Virginia a 2–1 lead.

The Cavaliers extended their advantage in the second inning when Eric Becker doubled to left field to score Kyle Johnson and make it 3–1.

Virginia Tech starter Ethan Grim limited the damage early despite the defensive miscues. The right-hander worked three innings, allowing three runs — just one earned — while striking out three. He left the game with an injury at the start of the fourth.

The Hokies responded in the fourth inning with their most productive frame of the night. Hudson Lutterman and Henry Cooke opened the inning with consecutive singles before Owen Petrich delivered an RBI single to left field, scoring Lutterman and moving Cooke to third.

Sam Gates followed with a groundout that plated Cooke to tie the game, and Ethan Gibson lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Petrich. The three-run inning gave Virginia Tech a 4–3 lead.

Virginia Tech turned to Brendan Yagesh out of the bullpen in the fourth, and the left-hander initially navigated a scoreless inning before the Cavaliers struck in the fifth.

After Sam Harris reached on a fielding error by Petrich and Harrison Didawick followed with a single, Virginia slugger Noah Murray delivered the biggest swing of the night. Murray launched a three-run home run deep to left field, flipping the momentum back to Virginia and giving the Cavaliers a 6–4 lead.

The Hokies refused to go away.

In the sixth inning, Petrich reached on an error by Virginia starter Henry Zatkowski, bringing Gates to the plate with two outs. Gates crushed a two-run homer to left field — his second of the season — tying the game at 6–6 and momentarily swinging momentum back toward Virginia Tech.

The tie was short lived for Virginia Tech.

In the bottom of the sixth, Eric Becker reached on a Virginia Tech error before AJ Gracia launched a two-run home run to left field to restore Virginia’s lead at 8–6.

The Cavaliers added insurance in the seventh inning after Noah Murray and Zach Jackson drew walks to open the frame. Kyle Johnson followed with an RBI single to score Murray, extending the lead to three runs.

Virginia then took advantage of another Hokies defensive miscue. With runners in scoring position, Becker reached on a fielding error by first baseman Sam Grube that allowed two runs to score, pushing the Cavaliers’ advantage to 11–6.

Virginia Tech’s offense stalled from there.

Virginia reliever Lucas Hartman closed the door over the final two innings, striking out four Hokies while allowing no hits to seal the victory.

Sam Gates led the Hokies offensively, finishing with a home run and three RBIs. Hudson Lutterman and Ethan Ball each recorded two hits, while Petrich drove in a run during Virginia Tech’s three-run fourth inning.

For Virginia, Harrison Didawick collected four hits while Murray finished with a three-run homer and three RBIs. Gracia added a two-run home run as part of a two-hit, two-RBI night.

Henry Zatkowski earned the win for the Cavaliers, allowing six runs — four earned — across seven innings while striking out 10.

Yagesh was tagged with the loss after surrendering eight runs, five earned, across three innings of relief.

Virginia Tech will look to bounce back Saturday as the Hokies continue the weekend series in Charlottesville.