LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Behind Carson DeMartini's three home runs and Griffin Stieg's seven and two-thirds shutdown innings on Sunday, the Virginia Tech baseball team put away Louisville, 8-1, at Jim Patterson Stadium, achieving the program's best six-game ACC start to date.
DeMartini hammered his third, fourth and fifth home runs during this weekend's series against the Cardinals, delivering solo shots during the first, third and fourth innings for the Hokies. Including his two-homer showcase against Marist on Tuesday and his two-homer afternoon on Saturday, the junior third baseman finished the week with seven home runs (12 for the season), compiling 11 RBIs on top of his six-game hit streak.
Stieg shined into the eighth inning for the first time during his collegiate career, allowing one run on five hits, striking out six batters without surrendering a walk. Tech's right-hander did not allow a free base after plunking Lucas Moore two batters into his outing, collecting his second consecutive ACC victory.
With the win, Virginia Tech (14-4, 5-1 ACC) scored its first true road series victory at Louisville (13-7, 1-2 ACC) since 1995 when the two programs competed together in the Metro Conference. The Hokies – who have now won 12 of their last 14 games – are out to their best six-game start to ACC play as well as their best 18-game start to a season since 2012.
After DeMartini's first home run had put Tech in front during the first inning, senior first baseman Gehrig Ebel slapped the first pitch of the second inning out of the yard, doubling the Hokies' lead to 2-0. Tech continued to tee off against the Cardinals' starter Patrick Forbes into the third inning as DeMartini and Micheletti both connected on solo jacks, rushing the Hokies out to the 4-0 advantage.
Forbes was unable to retire each of the next three batters he faced as Ebel and Cooke sandwiched free passes around Ben Watson's single that extended the outfielder's hitting streak to 14 consecutive games. Ebel darted home on the wild pitch that resulted in Cooke's walk while Watson soon scored on another battery miscue, presenting the visitors with the comfortable, 6-0 lead.
Batting leadoff again at the top of the fourth inning, DeMartini stroked his third home run of the game to put Virginia Tech on top, 7-0, finding a similar part of the ballpark to his second (down the right field line). Micheletti and Watson both singled behind DeMartini, helping the Hokies back Stieg with 15 hits.
Watson delivered another RBI single during the sixth inning, finishing 3-for-5. He ended the day as one of three Tech starters boasting a season batting average of .400 or greater.
Stieg retired nine consecutive Louisville batters before allowing his first hit of the ballgame during the fourth inning (a single by JT Benson). Clay Grady turned a timely 6-3 double play to preserve Stieg's shutout through four innings and converted another smooth defensive play to bring Stieg through five innings untouched.
Zion Rose broke through for the Cardinals during the bottom of the sixth inning, connecting on a solo home run to right center field that finally put the hosts on the scoreboard. Stieg recovered by retiring each of the next six batters he faced, exiting during the eighth inning after Rose had dropped a bunted single against him.
Jeremy Neff collected the final four outs for Virginia Tech, striking out a pair while stamping the Hokies' series victory.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will return home on Tuesday, March 19, for a midweek game against ETSU. First pitch between the Hokies and the Buccaneers at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.