Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Battling through a long-winded ACC rubber match on Sunday, the Virginia Tech baseball team climbed from 6-2 down to tie Georgia Tech during the bottom of the seventh inning, despite the Hokies succumbing two innings later to the Yellow Jackets, 8-6, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Sam Tackett and Ben Watson batted big for Virginia Tech (11-5, 1-2 ACC), mirroring each other with a pair of 2-for-4 days in the box while contributing the team’s only extra-base hits during the Hokies’ three-run third inning. With two outs and a runner on first base, Tackett drove an RBI double towards the track in right center field, making the slow trot home on Watson’s ensuing two-run home run to left field that cut the home deficit to 6-5.
Georgia Tech (13-3, 2-1 ACC) peppered Virginia Tech’s two opening arms, putting up back-to-back three-run frames during the second and third innings, where they combined to bank seven hits. An errant return throw by Watson on a single by Parker Brosius resulted in the Yellow Jackets stealing a run to tie the game at 1-1, three batters before leadoff shortstop Kyle Lodise managed to connect on the two-RBI single that propelled the visitors to the 3-1 advantage.
After closing the second inning with back-to-back strikeouts, Mathieu Curtis collected the first two outs of the third inning, but was unable to shut the door on Georgia Tech. Two-out singles by Vahn Lackey and Brosius snowballed into a two-RBI triple by Caleb Daniel and another RBI single by Carson Kerce once Curtis had been lifted for Preston Crowl.
Despite Watson’s home run energizing Virginia Tech back into the ballgame, the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets abruptly traded the high-octane energy of the game’s early innings for a sudden bullpen duel. Crowl dealt two and one-third scoreless innings for Virginia Tech while Jaylen Paden began six up, six down, striking out the Hokies in order during the bottom of the fifth inning.
Andrew Sentlinger helped Crowl overcome a leadoff walk during the top of the sixth inning while preserving Virginia Tech’s one-run deficit through the middle of the seventh inning. There, the Hokies finally broke through against Paden, turning a one-out single by David Lewis into the game-tying run courtesy of Watson’s flared, two-out RBI single into shallow left field.
Virginia Tech had a chance to pull in front during the bottom of the eighth inning, receiving two walks (one intentional) at the expense of Caden Spivey. With runners at the corners, David McCann – gaining no reaction from Georgia Tech while trying to lure the Yellow Jackets into defending another double steal sequence – had his stolen base go for naught as Lewis struck out after a 3-1 count in his favor.
Missing its chance to take the lead, Virginia Tech fell behind during the ninth inning as walks by Sentlinger and Luke Craytor ultimately put Georgia Tech’s two winning runs on base. On a 2-0 count, Daniel barreled an RBI, ground-rule double to left center field to put the Yellow Jackets ahead while Kerce’s sacrifice fly set the final score at 8-6.
Sunday’s series finale lasted four hours and 20 minutes, marking Virginia Tech’s longest nine-inning ACC game since April 16, 2021 – ironically against Georgia Tech.