BLACKSBURG – Living up to the billing of its "Hammerin' Hokies" identity, the Virginia Tech baseball team has flexed equally strong on the other side of the ball, especially so with its starting pitching.
An ace has emerged out of Brett Renfrow, who has won each of his first four career-opening starts. After pitching the Hokies to their ACC-opening victory against Notre Dame on March 8, he became the program's second freshman starter to begin his career 4-0, joining 2023 MLB Draft top-100 selection Drue Hackenberg (2022).
During his first ACC performance, Renfrow tossed eight innings and struck out 10 Irish batters, setting rookie season highs in both categories. The right-hander allowed three hits, three runs (two earned) and one walk, keeping Notre Dame comfortably at bay as Tech ran away to the 11-3 win.
A theme during each of his first four starts, Renfrow improved as the length of his outing went on. The Hokies' Friday hurler ended his day by retiring 16 of his final 17 batters faced, holding his velocity as high as 95 miles per hour during his three-up, three-down eighth inning.
Through 24 innings pitched this season, the native of Manassas, Virginia, is boasting a 1.88 ERA with 29 strikeouts, having allowed 15 hits (5.63 hits per nine innings) and surrendered four walks. He enters his projected Friday start at Louisville ranking fifth among ACC pitchers in ERA and sixth in strikeouts.
"If that's not one of the best young arms in the country, I don't know what is," said head coach John Szefc.
Renfrow has set a high benchmark for the Hokies on the mound this season, setting the tone for Tech to pursue four consecutive season-opening series wins. His ability to pitch deep into games has also alleviated pressure from burning too many relief arms early during multi-game series.
"He came out and had a really big start to get our season going in Charlotte and I thought that was a big step," Szefc added. "[This] was another big step, being an ACC series. He can just do things other people can't do."
Complementing Renfrow on Saturdays has been junior right-hander Wyatt Parliament, who pulls into this weekend's series at Louisville with a 2-0 record and a 3.72 ERA. Through 18 and one-third innings pitched, Parliament has walked four batters and scattered 12 hits (5.89 hits per nine innings), achieving an opposing batting average of .171 – the third lowest mark in the ACC.
Together, Parliament and Renfrow have combined to lead Virginia Tech to its 8-0 record spanning the opening two games of a weekend this season.
Parliament's efficiency was on display against Stony Brook (March 2) when he delivered a four-pitch inning and a seven-pitch inning on his way to earning his first victory in Blacksburg since transferring from Rutgers. On March 9 against Notre Dame, he sported a career high in strikeouts (10), collecting each of the game's first seven outs – and eight of the game's first nine outs – in said fashion.
Rounding out weekends for Tech, sophomore right-hander Griffin Stieg has been faced with the difficult task of pitching to frustrated lineups shut down by Renfrow and Parliament. Stieg is 2-1 through his four starts and has shown exceptional form since his season-opening defeat at Charlotte.
Since taking the mound on Feb. 25 against Rhode Island, Stieg has allowed two earned runs during his last 15 and two-thirds innings pitched (1.15 ERA), including his streak of 14 and one-third innings pitched without allowing a run. On March 10 against Notre Dame, he stymied the Irish into the sixth inning, departing with the Hokies in front, 5-1.
Riding Stieg to victory, Virginia Tech successfully completed its first ACC-opening sweep and is off to its best league start since joining the conference before 2005. Going forward, Tech will rely more heavily on the strength of its veteran, who began the 2024 campaign as the Hokies' lone returning pitcher with starting experience.
Together, Virginia Tech's trio of starting pitchers have combined to yield an 8-1 record and a 2.95 ERA. They have cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with this season and have the full attention of their opponents heading into the heart of conference play.
"We're all pushing each other to get better each and every week," Parliament said. "The three of us are trying to push each other to get better and better."
Szefc has stressed the importance of starting strong, both on an individual game and season-long basis. His desires have certainly been met by his three primary starters.
Virginia Tech makes its first ACC road trip to Louisville for a three-game series taking place between March 15 and March 17 at Jim Patterson Stadium. Game times between the Hokies and the Cardinals are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday.