Hokie ClubRALEIGH, N.C. – Despite controlling the 1-0 lead for most of Friday’s series opener, the Virginia Tech baseball team was boxed out by NC State, 11-1, during a seven-inning game shortened by ACC run rule at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Sophomore starter Brett Renfrow was locked in early for Virginia Tech (12-6, 1-3 ACC), shutting out the Wolfpack through four innings, during which he allowed three batters to reach base. However, circumstances changed for Renfrow during the bottom of the fifth inning when Ty Head and Chris McHugh both connected on two-run home run swings – part of a five-hit, five-run rally that began tipping the game out of reach.
NC State (13-5, 1-0 ACC) furthered the damage during the bottom of the sixth inning with a discouraging two-out rally, bringing 11 total batters to the plate. Four of the Wolfpack’s five hits took place with two outs, including Alex Sosa’s two-RBI single and a two-RBI single by Brayden Fraasman.
Leading by nine runs after six innings of play, NC State secured victory via run rule during the bottom of the seventh inning, walking off on McHugh’s RBI single up the middle that scored Ryder Woodson.
As an offense, Virginia Tech was held to two hits, marking the program’s lowest production during a regular season game since April 9, 2023, at Duke. Jackson Cherry accounted for the Hokies’ lone run-scoring play – an RBI single during the top of the first inning after walks had been issued to Ben Watson and David McCann.
Defensively, Sam Tackett’s diving catch in center field during the bottom of the second inning went down as the highlight moment for both sides, preceding Henry Cooke’s inning-ending throw down to second base that caught Luke Nixon stealing.