What Went Wrong in Virginia Tech's 6-2 Loss to Cal Poly

A couple hours before first pitch, the Los Angeles Regional cracked wide open.

Saint Mary's stunned No. 1 overall seed UCLA 3-2 in the afternoon game, becoming the first team to defeat the nation's top seed in a regional opener since the current format began in 1999. Jacob Johnson hit two home runs, including the game-winner off Easton Hawk in the ninth inning. Suddenly, the path out of Los Angeles looked a lot more navigable for whoever won Friday night's nightcap.

Virginia Tech couldn't take advantage. The Hokies, the No. 2 seed in the regional, dropped a 6-2 decision to third-seeded Cal Poly at Jackie Robinson Stadium, squandering the opportunity to seize control of the bracket. Instead of setting up a Saturday winners' bracket matchup with a reeling Saint Mary's squad, Virginia Tech heads into an elimination game against the very team that it was supposed to avoid until the regional final.

Here is what went wrong in Virginia Tech's game against Cal Poly.

1. Logan Eisenreich couldn't find his command.

Heading into the game, Eisenreich has been throwing the ball really well, giving up just two earned runs in his last two appearances, striking out 15 batters during that time. None of that showed up against the Mustangs.

Three of the Mustangs' runs in the second inning came on choppers that found holes. Ryan Tayman's grounder snuck under the glove of third baseman Owen Petrich. Gavin Spiridonoff's high bouncer to second scored a run. Vachini followed with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

A Cam Hoiland leadoff homer in the third put Cal Poly ahead 3-1, and in the fourth he walked Ryan Tayman, hit Hoiland with a pitch and walked Jake Downing to load the bases with no outs. John Szefc had seen enough. The sophomore finished with 3.2 innings, four earned runs and four walks on 24 batters.

2. The bottom half of Cal Poly's lineup kept getting on base.

Seven of nine Cal Poly leadoff hitters reached base Friday, but it wasn't the top of the order driving in runs. The bottom half of the Mustangs' lineup did the real damage, and Virginia Tech never found an answer for it.

Cam Hoiland, batting fifth, went 1-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch and hit the leadoff homer in the third that pushed the lead to 3-1. Jake Downing, batting sixth, reached base in three of his four plate appearances and scored twice. Casey Murray Jr., batting seventh, was the most damaging of all. He went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, including a single in the fourth that made it 4-1 and another in the sixth to push the lead to 6-1. Dante Vachini, hitting ninth, went 3-for-4 with a double and scored a run. Virginia Tech couldn't find a soft spot in the order where it mattered most.

3. VT couldn't get the job done with runners on base.

Griffin Naess struck out the side in the first and the Virginia Tech offense never made him pay for anything after that. The Hokies went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight. In the second inning, Virginia Tech loaded the bases with nobody out and got one run.

It wasn't the only costly missed opportunity. In the seventh, Pete Daniel led off with a triple and Sam Gates walked to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Petrich grounded into a double play, scoring one but killing the inning entirely. It was the closest Virginia Tech got to a rally, and it amounted to just a single run.

What's Next

Virginia Tech's postseason isn't over, but the circumstances couldn't be much tougher. The Hokies now face a UCLA team that still has plenty to prove after its loss to the Gaels in an elimination game Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Coverage of the game will be on ESPN+.

Stay up to date with Virginia Tech baseball through our coverage hub.

Add us as a preferred source on Google