Virginia Tech Secures Series Victory Vs Duke With 7-6 Win
BLACKSBURG, Va. — For the second time this season, Sam Grube found himself at the plate with the game on the line. And for the second time, he delivered.
“He’s been in that spot before,” Szefc said of Grube. “That’s the guy you want up there.”
𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝘽𝙐𝙎𝙏𝙀𝘿 🏀
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) March 22, 2026
≫ @DeltaDentalofVA #Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/QgGAkWF6YU
Grube shot a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift Virginia Tech to a 5-4 win over Duke on Sunday afternoon at English Field, sealing the Hokies’ first ACC series victory of the season after a back-and-forth contest that featured late drama, defensive miscues and a resilient bullpen effort.
“It’s all God, man,” Grube said. “I just put my faith in Him and let Him take over in those clutch moments.”
The Hokies (12-10, 4-5 ACC) had to earn it the hard way.
After taking a mid-game lead and controlling much of the late innings behind a strong bullpen showing, Virginia Tech saw the game unravel briefly in the ninth. Duke was able to tie it on an errant throw from Pete Daniel to get the second out, and Kaden Smith was able to hit a base knock to bring in Albright from third — an unearned run.
That wouldn't be the end of Virginia Tech's ninth-inning woes. A miscue on a tag-up situation, when freshman Ethan Ball left early and failed to return to second base, resulted in a costly double play that helped Duke force the game into extra innings.
Still, the Hokies never let the moment spiral.
“You’ve got a relatively new team,” head coach John Szefc said. “These guys are still getting used to ACC baseball… but they keep getting better as they go.”
Virginia Tech’s bullpen ensured the mistake didn’t define the game.
The trio of Chase Swift, Logan Eisenreich and Brody Roe combined to allow just two runs (one earned) across 4.2 innings, repeatedly working out of trouble and keeping Duke within reach. Luke Craytor added a 1.1 inning performance, where he struck out two batters in a scoreless appearance.
“Our bullpen did a hell of a job,” Szefc said. “Two runs over six innings — that was a huge factor in us winning that game.”
Eisenreich, who returned after missing time with minor inflammation, delivered two key innings and credited both preparation and confidence for his outing.
“Just knowing how good my stuff is,” Eisenreich said about his mindset in the big outing. “Confidence is probably the biggest thing.”
The Hokies’ offense, meanwhile, gradually found its footing after a slow start.
Virginia Tech did not record a hit until the third inning but broke through in a pivotal moment when Nick Locurto delivered a two-out, two-RBI, bases-loaded hit to flip the game’s early momentum.
“We were kind of sputtering,” Szefc said. “That was a really good at-bat… a big two-out hit.”
Locurto, who has moved into a middle-of-the-order role after limited opportunities in previous seasons, said his approach hasn’t changed despite the increased spotlight.
“I’m not worried about myself,” Locurto said. “It’s just whatever I can do to help the team win.”
The Hokies continued to apply pressure throughout the middle innings, aided in part by seeing Duke’s pitching staff multiple times over the weekend.
“All [Virginia Tech hitters] were talking about what they saw,” Grube said. “It really showed late in the game.”
Still, Duke answered late, capitalizing on the ninth-inning miscue to tie the game and force extras, setting the stage for another tense finish.
Rather than dwell on the mistake, Virginia Tech leaned on its pitching and belief.
“When we went out for the 10th, I told everyone—we’re going to win the game,” Grube said. “We had all the confidence.”
Luke Craytor delivered a shutdown top of the 10th inning, setting up the Hokies’ final opportunity.
In the bottom half, Virginia Tech loaded the bases, bringing Grube to the plate once again in a familiar role. With the count working in his favor, he knocked in the decisive run, sending the Hokies pouring out of the dugout.
“Big situation, big game, big series,” Grube said. “You can feel the pressure—but you try to stay calm.”
The win not only secured the series over Duke but also provided a needed breakthrough after a challenging opening stretch of conference play against top-tier opponents.
“It’s huge,” Eisenreich said. “We’re just hoping to build on it.”
Szefc echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the long-term importance of the result.
“At the end of the year, they all add up,” Szefc said. “You’re trying to get somewhere above 15 wins in this league, and this gets you closer to that.”
The series win also offered a glimpse of what Virginia Tech believes it can become.
Despite early-season struggles on the mound, the Hokies showed a more complete performance this weekend, particularly with their bullpen and situational hitting.
With momentum finally on their side, the Hokies now turn their attention to the next stretch of ACC play, looking to carry forward the confidence built from a gritty, hard-earned series win.
Virginia Tech will next travel to Johnson City, Tennessee to play ETSU on Tuesday, March 24, at 5 p.m. ET. Coverage for the contest will be on ESPN+.
-6a5b43e289498e1daf5a7229ef5b8a73.jpeg "Josh Poslusny")
Joshua Poslusny - who goes by Poz - is a Radford University sophomore in the School of Communication. He graduated from Ocean Springs High School in Mississippi in 2024. He has previously done work for The Tech Lunch Pail, Tech Sideline, and Sons of Saturday, among others. He specializes in baseball coverage, which he has been doing for the last year. He also has experience covering football, basketball, and softball.