Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – With its first ACC Coastal Division championship in stow, the top-seeded No. 2 Virginia Tech baseball team will look to manifest its title into its first postseason crown this week at the 2022 ACC Baseball Championship, taking place at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Tech will play its first of two Pool A games on Thursday, May 26, when the Hokies clash with 12th-seeded Clemson at 7 p.m. On Friday, May, 27, Tech will face eighth-seeded North Carolina at 7 p.m. during a must-win affair to champion the pool and advance to the weekend.
Thursday and Friday's pool play games will air on ACC regional sports networks (click here for affiliates). Should the Hokies champion Pool A and advance to the ACC semifinals, Tech would oppose the Pool D winner on Saturday, May 28, at 1 p.m. with the game airing on ACC Network.
The 2022 ACC championship game will air live on ESPN2 on Sunday, May 29, at 12 p.m. For Tech home broadcasts, fans may tune into WRAD-FM 101.7 radio or the HokieSports app to listen to the games as called the Hokies' play-by-play broadcaster, Evan Hughes.
| SERIES SCHEDULE | |||||
| Day | Date | Time | Opponent | Network | Radio |
| Thu. | May 26 | 7 p.m. | Clemson | RSN | WRAD-FM 101.7 |
| Fri. | May 27 | 7 p.m. | North Carolina | RSN | WRAD-FM 101.7 |
| Sat. | May 28 | 1 p.m. | ACC semifinals | ACCN | WRAD-FM 101.7 |
| Sun. | May 29 | 12 p.m. | ACC championship | ESPN2 | WRAD-FM 101.7 |
PROBABLE STARTERS
• Thursday: TBD vs. TBD
• Friday: TBD vs. TBD
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
• One Magical Journey: Virginia Tech enters the postseason as the consensus No. 2 team in the country, having been ranked inside D1Baseball's top 10 for six consecutive weeks. The Hokies are one of the greatest stories in college baseball. Predicted to finish sixth in the ACC Coastal Division in February, the Hokies endured a five-game losing streak in mid-March that culminated with their 0-4 start to ACC play. Since exploding for 22 runs to end the streak against Pitt on March 19, Tech has won 30 of its final 35 regular season games, rattling off nine consecutive ACC series victories to clinch the Coastal Division – its first division title during its league history. With the best record in the ACC (19-9), the Hokies arrive in Charlotte as the No. 1 seed on the top line in Pool A riding a six-game winning streak. Tech's path to Saturday's ACC semifinals is simple – one victory on Friday night against eighth-seeded North Carolina will advance the Hokies out of division/pool play for the first time since 2013.
• Hokies' Award Class: A high-achieving ball club, Virginia Tech was set a program record when it was rewarded with eight All-ACC student-athletes, placing seven onto the league's three all-conference teams behind ACC Coach of the Year John Szefc. The Hokies are led by their four All-ACC First Team selections: third-year outfielder Gavin Cross, freshman pitcher Drue Hackenberg, sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley and sophomore shortstop Tanner Schobel. On Tuesday, Cross and Schobel were named two of the 31 national semifinalists for the 2022 Golden Spikes Award, awarded to the best amateur baseball player in the United States. Meanwhile, Hurley and Schobel have both been honored as semifinalists for the 2022 Dick Howser Trophy – college baseball's equivalent honor to the Heisman Trophy. Tech third-year catcher Cade Hunter was named to the 2022 All-ACC Second Team in addition to being tabbed a semifinalist for the 2022 Buster Posey Award, presented annually to the nation's best collegiate catcher. Among the Hokies recent year-end honorees, fourth-year outfielder Nick Biddison and sophomore pitcher Griffin Green collected All-ACC Third Team praise while rookie third baseman Carson DeMartini was chosen to the ACC All-Freshman Team.
• Bidding for Firsts: Virginia Tech is looking to set a handful of program firsts this week in Charlotte. The Hokies are seeking their first ACC tournament wins under the leadership of head coach John Szefc, who holds a 36-26 career postseason record, winning four postseason championships – all at Marist (1997, 2000-02). Tech has yet to defeat North Carolina during the ACC tournament, coming up short during the 2013 league title game and again in 2015 during the play-in round. The Hokies are also competing for their first program victories at Truist Field – the home of the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate).
UP NEXT
No. 2 Virginia Tech will await its selection to the 2022 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on Monday, May 30, at 12 noon with the Selection Show airing on ESPN2. The Hokies are in line to host their first NCAA Regional since 2013 and potentially lock up the program's first top-eight national seed in the tourney.