BRIGHTON, Mass. – Pairing a game-winning home run swing with a game-saving defensive out at the plate on Friday, the No. 19 Virginia Tech baseball team rode out a chilly, 18-inning doubleheader at Boston College to sweep the opening two games of the teams' ACC series at Harrington Athletics Village by scores of 9-6 and 4-3.
Junior reliever Jordan Little earned two saves for Virginia Tech (17-4, 7-1 ACC), which furthered the program's best 21-game start – and its best eight-game ACC start – since joining the ACC. The Hokies, who have now won six consecutive season-opening series, currently lead the ACC Coastal Division and are the conference's first team to have eclipsed seven league victories.
Friday's doubleheader was scheduled to avoid inclement weather forecast for Saturday in the Boston area. The Hokies and the Eagles will complete their three-game league series on Sunday, March 24, at 1 p.m.
GAME ONE - Virginia Tech 9, Boston College 6
Virginia Tech (16-4, 6-1 ACC) was in the driver's seat with its 4-1 lead during the fifth inning when Boston College (11-9, 2-5 ACC) staged a remarkable, two-out rally that began with the bases empty. Cameron Leary and Kyle Wolff both delivered two-run home runs for the Eagles – two of five hits that led to Boston College (11-9, 2-5 ACC) scoring five runs and charging ahead, 6-4.
Tech chipped a run back during the seventh inning behind Clay Grady's one-out base knock up the middle. Christian Martin drew a walk to push Grady into scoring position, from where Grady came home easily when Chris Cannizzaro stroked an RBI double down the left field line.
Three outs from defeat, freshman first baseman Ethan Gibson sparked the Hokies' comeback during the ninth inning, singling into left field off reliever Tyler Mudd. Grady worked a 3-0 count against Mudd before accepting his free pass to first base, setting the table for Martin to come through with a game-changing moment.
Fouling off Mudd's 3-1 delivery, Martin turned on the next pitch with confidence, lofting the go-ahead, three-run home run to right field to put Virginia Tech on top, 8-6.
With Carson DeMartini aboard as a hit batsman, Eddie Micheletti Jr. banked an insurance run for the Hokies by finding the gap in left center field, chalking his 24th RBI of the season off his fourth double of the spring.
Right-hand starter Brett Renfrow struck out six batters and was an out away from becoming eligible for the fifth win of his rookie season, despite having to settle for four and two-thirds innings on the mound. Renfrow entered the fifth inning having allowed a run on two hits with five strikeouts, though was ultimately charged for four runs on five hits.
Henry Cooke and David McCann put Virginia Tech on the scoreboard during the second inning, swinging back-to-back RBI singles. Grady's RBI triple during the fifth inning marked his fourth of the season (elevating him to sole possession of the ACC lead) and put him in prime position to score on Martin's ensuing sacrifice fly that etched the Hokies' 4-1 lead.
Boston College right-hander starter John West was in line for the victory until Martin's game-winning home run. West limited Tech to five hits, despite allowing five runs and walking three, tossing six and one-third innings with three strikeouts for the Eagles.
GAME TWO - Virginia Tech 4, Boston College 3
Sophomore catcher Henry Cooke's fifth home run of the season pushed Virginia Tech (17-4, 7-1 ACC) in front, 2-1, during the second inning and provided right-hand starter Wyatt Parliament enough breathing room to pitch one batter into the sixth inning.
Parliament posted six strikeouts, holding Boston College (11-10, 2-6 ACC) to a run on three hits as the Hokies steadied their 4-1 lead. Right-hand reliever Jeremy Neff cleaned up the base runner Parliament left behind during the sixth inning, inducing the ground ball that led Christian Martin to start the 4-6-3 double play.
Neff worked himself out of trouble during the seventh inning, stranding two runners in scoring position to preserve the Hokies' three-run advantage. However, BC would fight back with another two-out rally during the bottom of the eighth inning, sending Tech into its bullpen to protect its lead.
After Cameron Leary's single had presented the Eagles with their first base runner, Nick Wang and Vince Cimini rode out walks issued by Neff and Matthew Siverling, respectively, loading the bases for cleanup first baseman Kyle Wolff.
With Tech bringing freshman right-hander Preston Crowl into the moment, Wolff proceeded to double two runs in with BC electing to send Cimini from first base to potentially tie the game. Executing the perfect relay, Chris Cannizzaro fired from left field to shortstop Clay Grady, who threw out Cimini with help from Cooke's swipe tag at the plate.
Jordan Little struck out the Boston College side during the bottom of the ninth inning, earning his second save during as many doubleheader games.
Martin, Cooke and Ben Watson each recorded multi-hit games for the Hokies, who mirrored the Eagles' 17 hits during Friday's doubleheader. Watson cracked three hits for Tech, extending his hitting streak twice to 17 consecutive games.
Southpaw starter A.J. Colarusso put up zeros for BC during the fifth and sixth innings, though was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits, despite striking out six. Wolff was responsible for driving in all three of the Eagles' runs, answering Chris Cannizzaro's sacrifice fly during the first inning with his RBI triple.