BLACKSBURG – Flirting with a major comeback on Friday, the No. 13 Virginia Tech baseball team nearly battled back from six runs down to defeat Pitt, despite finishing a run shy of victory during its 7-6 loss at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Carson DeMartini's 14th home run of the season slid Tech within a run at 7-6 during the bottom of the seventh inning with nine offensive outs to work with. Despite DeMartini's 427-foot rocket shot over the right field bullpen, the Hokies put the game's potential tying run aboard during the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to no avail, abandoning DeMartini at second base when the final out was earned by the Panthers.
Virginia Tech (20-5, 9-2 ACC) fell into a six-run hole during the second inning as Pitt (12-12, 2-9 ACC) powered three home runs off the bats of Justin Fogel (three-run homer), Jake Kendro (solo homer) and Jayden Melendez (two-run homer). Right-hand starter Wyatt Parliament bore the burden of surrendering all three homers to the Panthers, exiting after one and two-thirds innings pitched – the shortest start by a Tech weekend starter this spring.
Ben Watson helped the Hokies bounce back during the bottom of the second inning, shooting his first of two doubles on the day down the left field line. Senior catcher Gehrig Ebel flared an RBI single into right field to bring Watson home, putting the home side on the scoreboard for the first time.
Watson was at the center of Tech's three-run rally during the fourth inning that rushed the Hokies back into the ballgame.
Following leadoff singles by Eddie Micheletti Jr. and Chris Cannizzaro, Watson dropped an RBI double into the left field corner, scoring Micheletti to creep Tech within 6-2. Ebel's ensuing sacrifice fly to center field scored Cannizzaro to trim the margin to 6-3 while David McCann's base hit to right field moved Watson into position to score on another sacrifice fly, this time off the bat of Clay Grady.
Jacob Exum picked up Parliament to the tune of two and two-thirds innings of relief – Exum's longest outing of the season. Pitt managed to scratch a key insurance run home against Matthew Siverling during the fifth inning, receiving a clutch, two-out RBI single from Fogel that pushed its lead to 7-4.
Virginia Tech threatened to spin the game in its favor during the bottom of the sixth inning, turning a leadoff error by the Panthers into a bases-loaded, none-out situation. Kendro's errant bouncer of a throw to nab Cannizzaro preluded back-to-back singles by Watson and Ebel, putting the tying run at second base with McCann, Grady and Martin due up.
However, the Hokies' aggressive decision to tag Watson on McCann's run-scoring sacrifice fly proved to be detrimental to their big inning chances. Pitt executed the 9-3-5 relay at third base, completing the double play that all but ended Tech's bid to tie or take the lead.
Virginia Tech's style of aggressive base running carried into the ninth inning where DeMartini tagged to second base on a lazy fly ball to right field, again presenting the game's potential tying run at second base. Despite the strategy, Phil Fox induced the game-ending fly ball against Micheletti, earning his second save of the season while backing Jack Sokol's five-inning victory.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will host the rubber match against Pitt on Saturday, March 30. First pitch between the Hokies and the Panthers is scheduled for 4 p.m. at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.Gallery: (3-29-2024) BSB: Pitt Game 2