Hokie ClubATLANTA – Staking leads during the beginning, middle and end of Friday's ACC opener, the Virginia Tech baseball team nearly knocked off No. 13 Georgia Tech, despite succumbing to the 9-8, walk-off defeat at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
Gavin Cross – tabbed as Perfect Game's ACC Preseason Player of the Year – opened conference play with a bang, carrying Chance Huff's fifth delivery of the ballgame into the right field trees. Though Cross' second home run of the season stood as the Hokies' lone hit through five innings, Griffin Green did well in limiting the Yellow Jackets to a run through five innings himself as both teams took their 1-1 pitchers' duel into the sixth inning.
There, Virginia Tech (10-2, 0-1 ACC) made its move as Cross made Colin Hall gamble on his fly ball in center field, tripling for the third time this season as it bounced behind Hall and to the wall. Tanner Schobel proceeded to drive Cross in with his RBI single to the same part of the field, darting into scoring position when Jack Hurley singled to extend his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games.
Immediately after Georgia Tech (11-3, 1-0 ACC) had conferenced on the mound to compose Huff, Cade Hunter deposited a three-run homer over the right field fence, circling the bases to put the Hokies on top, 5-1.
However, Virginia Tech's lead was short-lived as the Yellow Jackets rallied for four runs of their own during the bottom of the inning. Stephen Reid connected on the two-RBI double that cut the margin to 5-4 while a wild pitch by Jonah Hurney knotted the game heading into the late innings.
Dicey pitching by the Hokies allowed Georgia Tech to jump in front during the bottom of the eighth inning. Virginia Tech conceded the go-ahead run to the Yellow Jackets on a 6-4-3 double play but went on to face five more batters, surrendering the bases-loaded walk to Kevin Parada that left the Hokies in a 7-5 hole.
With the utmost resiliency, Virginia Tech rallied to steal the lead back from Georgia Tech during the ninth inning. Schobel scored Cross from second base with his second RBI single of the game while Hunter delivered the two-out, two-RBI single that presented the Hokies with the 8-7 lead.
Ryan Kennedy – Virginia Tech's seventh relief pitcher across a four-inning span – induced an inning-opening ground out from Drew Compton, but was unable to bring the Hokies across the finish line. Reid drew the bases-loaded walk against Kennedy while John Anderson tallied the game-winning single for Georgia Tech.
NOTEWORTHY
• Third-year catcher Cade Hunter recorded his second five-RBI game of the 2022 season (Feb. 18 against UNC Asheville).
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will conclude its weekend series against No. 13 Georgia Tech on Sunday, March 13, when the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets contest a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.