BLACKSBURG – Banking three wins during the weekend, as anchored by three commanding starts on the mound and nearly flawless relief action, the Virginia Tech baseball team (5-2) is once again off to a strong start to the season. The Hokies handled business against Rhode Island, earning their first three-game sweep of the 2024 campaign – their fourth such nonconference outcome spanning the last three years.
"It's always about good starting pitching," said Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc. "I know it sounds like a cliché and it's boring, but if you look at all our five wins, we had good starts."
Brett Renfrow improved to 2-0 through as many freshman starts on Friday, setting the weekend tone for the Hokies. The right-hander from Manassas, Virginia, minimized damage during his first collegiate innings in an ACC ballpark; after allowing three runs through his first 11 batters faced, he proceeded to retire 10 consecutive hitters, exiting the game with Tech comfortably ahead, 10-3.
Renfrow recorded five strikeouts, walked two and scattered five hits before tossing the keys to relievers Grant Manning, Jordan Little and Ryan Buckler, who combined to yield four scoreless innings and rack up seven strikeouts (one walk).
"Outside of all of the offense and how well our guys pitched out of the bullpen," Szefc added, "[Renfrow] was able to get through the lineup two and a half times and he actually got better as the game went on."
As the weekend progressed, Tech's pitching clinic continued to display in full force. Wyatt Parliament confidently carried the Hokies through four and two-thirds innings during Saturday's clincher, thwarting Rhode Island's offense during the closest game of the series.
Parliament registered six strikeouts (season high), walked one and allowed two runs on four hits, navigating Tech through a one-run ballgame for the duration of his start. David Shoemaker punched out three batters through one and two-thirds innings in relief of Parliament to earn the victory while Brady Kirtner and Jacob Exum sealed the win, collecting the game's final eight outs (three by strikeout).
Eyeing the sweep, sophomore right-hander Griffin Stieg pitched the lights out on Sunday, making the longest start of his collegiate career (five innings). Stieg did not allow a hit until the fourth inning of play, etching another career high with his seven strikeouts – three more than his previous high set in February 2023.
"I think we could be one of the best staffs in the ACC," Stieg said. "We have so many different looks each day. Even in our bullpen, it's different each day. There are a lot of good pieces. It's a good staff."
Carson Ohl, Madden Clement and Preston Crowl carried Virginia Tech across the finish line on Sunday, completing a series of dominant relief outings by the Hokies. Considering the three-game series, Tech's bullpen witnessed nine arms combine to allow two runs (both earned) through 12 and one-third innings of relief, boasting a 1.46 ERA.
"Having a strong bullpen to have your back is huge," Steig added. "There are going to be times of adversity where you have to give the ball up and trust someone else to get you out of a situation and I think that's a huge part of this game, to be able to trust and be accountable on staff."
Virginia Tech gears up for its shortest midweek trip of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 27, when the Hokies visit Radford for a 3 p.m. tilt at Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium. Tech returns to English Field on Friday, March 1, to open a three-game series against Stony Brook.