Virginia Tech Survives 8-6 Scare Against VCU

The Hokies allowed the potential tying run to step up to the plate in the ninth despite holding a three-run lead entering the frame.

Blacksburg, VA — Ethan Gibson celebrating a double in game 3 vs Pitt, 2026. | Virginia Tech Athletic

VCU kept Virginia Tech baseball on the ropes throughout in Richmond Tuesday afternoon, never allowing the Hokies to extend a lead beyond three runs. However, a two-run eighth inning proved to be the difference, as the Rams could not answer late and failed to mount enough of a charge in the 8-6 Hokies win.

𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙥 🧹

≫ @DeltaDentalofVA #Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/ORUwGgULr0

— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) April 21, 2026

In their second game against VCU (22-17) — Tech (19-19) won the first, 11-8, in Blacksburg — the Hokies struck first in the opening frame.

Against VCU starter Fenix DiGiacomo, the Hokies quickly put runners on second and third with no outs, and Henry Cooke capitalized with a go-ahead RBI grounder. Virginia Tech kept the pressure on — a hit by pitch and an infield single loaded the bases, and Nick Locurto was later hit by a pitch to force in the Hokies’ second run of the inning.

DiGiacomo finished his start in the first, recording just two outs in the seven batters he faced, surrendering a pair of earned runs before he was pulled.

VCU quickly answered in the second inning off of Virginia Tech starter Madden Clement, cutting the Hokies' lead to one with a two-out solo home run from Jacob Lee.

VCU wasn't alone in hitting a two-out solo shot, though. Tech's Ethan Gibson wanted one of his own in the second, and he did just that with a jack to left center, his fourth of the season, to reclaim an early two-run lead for the Hokies.

The game would go scoreless for an inning and a half before VCU answered back in a big way. A one-out walk from Michael Petite was followed by a Lee double — his second RBI knock of the day — before an errant play from Gibson at shortstop allowed for another run to score.

That marked the end of the day for Madden Clement, who tossed his longest start of the season. He worked through 2.2 innings of ball, striking out two and allowing two earned runs on a pair of hits and four walks.

Aiden Robertson then entered as the new Virginia Tech arm, and things settled in for a time.

The fourth and fifth were uneventful, but the Hokies broke through in the sixth to take a lead that they never relinquished.

A pair of consecutive one-out doubles brought around Sam Gates before a pair of walks loaded the bases for the heart of the Virginia Tech order.

Henry Cooke hit a station-to-station RBI single, scoring Grube before Hudson Lutterman flew out to deep right field, allowing Gibson to tag up and score.

As back and forth as the game had already been, VCU was bound to answer — and they did.

Aiden Robertson gave up the only runs of his appearance (4.1 innings pitched, six strikeouts, two earned runs) when a lead-off single set up for Teige Lethert to get a hold of a pitch and send it soaring over the right-field wall, enabling VCU to cut Virginia Tech's lead to one again.

After a clean seventh inning, the Hokies delivered the decisive blow in the eighth.

With Grube on second, Ethan Ball and Henry Cooke both struck back-to-back doubles, plating a pair of runs and giving the Hokies a strong 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Brody Roe (2.0 IP, 2 K, 0 ER) took the mound in the eighth, looking for his first save of the season.

He set the side down in order in the eighth, using an inning-ending double play to mitigate a one-out walk.

The ninth was dicier.

After striking out the first two batters he faced, a single, stolen base and another single plated a run and left a man on first for Lee — who had already homered today — to represent the game's tying run.

A first pitch strike got Roe ahead in the count. That enabled him to throw a tough pitch, causing Lee to pop up into foul territory on the first-base side for the game-ending out.

The Hokies have now won four of their last five games, giving them a strong streak as they continue through the back end of conference play.

They will turn their attention to NC State, who they will host this weekend in Blacksburg. Game one is set for Friday, April 24, at 6 p.m. ET, and it will be carried on ACC Network extra.