Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Backed by third-year outfielder Gavin Cross swinging three hits on Sunday, the No. 5 Virginia Tech baseball team clinched its record-setting eighth ACC series of the season as the Hokies outlasted No. 7 Louisville, 6-4, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
With the victory, Virginia Tech (36-11, 16-9 ACC) prevailed during its second multi-game series against a top-10 D1Baseball opponent this spring, having defeated then-No. 2 Miami one month earlier in Blacksburg. After winning the final two games of the weekend against Louisville (35-15-1, 16-10-1 ACC), the Hokies have now won 26 of their last 31 regular season games, including their 16-5 mark against the ACC and their 11-5 record against D1Baseball's top 25 poll.
As he had done on Saturday, Cross opened the scoring again on Sunday with a two-run home run, this time sporting Tech a 2-0 lead during the bottom of the fourth inning. With the Hokies yet to produce a base runner, Nick Biddison was drilled in the back by the Cardinals' starter, Carson Liggett, who proceeded to hang a breaking ball long enough for Cross to deposit his 13th home run of the season into the Louisville bullpen.
Tech received four dominant innings from right-hand starter Jordan Geber, who kept the Cardinals to one hit across four scoreless innings, striking out five. Considering Geber's midweek start against Liberty (May 11), the Hokies' fifth-year hurler logged seven scoreless innings on the mound during the week, racking up nine strikeouts while conceding one hit and one walk.
With Geber out and Jonah Hurney in during the fifth inning, Louisville made its move, capitalizing when Lucas Donlon was unable to field the final out on a ground ball to first base. Taking advantage of the extended inning, Dalton Rushing slapped the game-tying single up the middle, plating two unearned runs for the Cardinals.
Tech broke the game's 2-2 tie during the bottom of the sixth inning as shortstop Tanner Schobel singled to his position, moving Cross into scoring position following his one-out base hit. After Louisville had lifted reliever Ryan Hawks for Evan Webster, Jack Hurley cracked the Hokies' third straight single through the right side, reinstalling Tech's lead at 3-2.
Biddison energized the home crowd during the bottom of the seventh inning, riding an RBI triple through the gap in right center to double the Hokies' lead to 4-2. Cross brought Biddison home during his ensuing at-bat, knocking his third hit of the game up the middle to give Tech a 5-2 cushion.
Rushing brought the Cardinals within 5-3 during the top of the eighth inning, homering off Graham Firoved to make life interesting for the Hokies. Louisville continued to make Firoved and Kiernan Higgins work through the inning, chipping another run off Tech's lead courtesy of Levi Usher's RBI single up the middle.
Cade Hunter came up huge for the Hokies' defense, catching Usher at second base on a steal attempt to wipe the bags clean for Higgins. Hunter manifested his defensive play into a leadoff single for Tech during the bottom of the eighth inning, stealing a base himself before scoring on Carson DeMartini's RBI single.
Higgins battled back from putting two Lousiville runners aboard during the top of the ninth inning, closing the door on the Cardinals to earn his team leading, fourth save of the season.
NOTEWORTHY
• Virginia Tech's eight ACC series victories during the 2022 season equate to a program record, surpassing the seven ACC series Tech had won during the 2010 campaign.
• Sunday's victory marked the Hokies' 25th home win of the 2022 season – the program's most during its ACC era.
UP NEXT
No. 5 Virginia Tech will host Kansas State on Tuesday, May 17. First pitch between the Hokies and the Wildcats is scheduled for 7 p.m. at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Gallery: (5-15-2022) BSB: Louisville Game 3