Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – On the verge of making another postseason splash in 2024, the No. 23 Virginia Tech baseball team is excited to welcome home its alumni when the Hokies host an ACC top-25 showdown against No. 7 Duke at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park (April 19-21).
Among the thrills of hosting a marquee ACC Coastal Division matchup against the Blue Devils, Tech is eager to share in the festivities behind having many of its diamond legends back in Blacksburg this weekend.
Of particular note, Virginia Tech is also happy to celebrate the anniversary seasons of three special teams – trailblazers who helped build up the program into its current state of success.
1954 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM – 70th anniversary
Virginia Tech's 1954 Southern Conference championship team was the program's first squad to reach the NCAA tournament. Posting a 14-8 record and winning 10 conference games, the Hokies won the league title on its way to capturing the State Big Six crown.
Progressing to the NCAA District 3 tournament, Virginia Tech found itself pitted against its current ACC rival, Clemson, during the best-of-three semifinal round. In two games, the Hokies swept the Tigers, advancing to the District 3 championship round, where they squared off against Rollins College with a trip to Omaha on the line.
Although Virginia Tech's run would end in defeat to Rollins, two games to none in Winter Park, Florida, the 1954 Hokies' first effective Super Regional berth would not be matched until 2022.
1994 METRO CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM – 30th anniversary
Following the 1954 season, Virginia Tech made three more NCAA tournament appearances in 1969, 1976 and 1977 before making an incredible return to the postseason in 1994.
During a season that was slated to be a 'rebuilding year,' a historically young Tech team bent but never broke during the beginning of the 1994 campaign, stringing together 10 consecutive wins in April to set themselves up within the conference race. Despite its unflattering 8-9 mark in the Metro regular season standings, the Hokies charged into conference tournament week as the No. 6 seed, ready to shake up the field and pursue a trophy.
Sixth-seeded Virginia Tech opened with a 2-0 victory against third-seeded South Florida before bumping second-seeded Southern Miss (6-4) and top-seeded Charlotte (4-1) to the elimination ladder. One of four teams standing, the Hokies accepted their first postseason loss against fourth-seeded Tulane but had the last laugh against the Green Wave, defeating them by the 5-3 score line to clinch their first NCAA tournament berth in almost two decades.
Making its first NCAA postseason appearance under legendary head coach Chuck Hartman, Virginia Tech ironically made its way to the NCAA East Regional (hosted by Clemson), drawing the No. 5 seed in the six-seed format. The Hokies – finishing at 32-26 – were denied a run during their regional opener against second-seeded Auburn, ultimately succumbing to sixth-seeded The Citadel by a skinny run, 4-3.
1999 ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM – 25th anniversary
With Hartman manning the bench, Virginia Tech followed its 1994 NCAA tournament appearance with another trip in 1997, making its new home in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
In 1999, Tech achieved one of the more dominant seasons throughout its history, boasting a 42-17 record by season's end. The Hokies scorched their Atlantic 10 foes, going 18-3 during conference play and winning the West Division by eight games over four second-place teams: Duquesne, George Washington, La Salle and Xavier.
After defeating Temple, 4-3, during the first round of the conference tournament, Virginia Tech was surprised by La Salle, 13-6, during the winner's bracket final, making the Hokies' road to the title that much harder. Despite playing from the elimination ladder, the Hammerin' Hokies picked up steam, sending the East Division champions, Massachusetts, packing in 9-4 fashion before returning to stun La Salle twice by scores of 15-3 and 20-6 to win the Atlantic 10 postseason championship.
Advancing to the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional, third-seeded Virginia Tech was unable to best second-seeded Richmond during the opening round of the tourney, relegating them into the first elimination game against fourth-seeded Siena. There, the Hokies prevailed, 11-5, before exiting with a second loss to the Spiders, 11-8.
Virginia Tech was led in 1999 by two-way star Larry Bowles, who tabbed a 10-3 record, logged a 4.27 ERA and led the Hokies in hitting with his .390 batting average. Bowles was named the 1999 Atlantic 10 tournament's Most Outstanding Player in addition to becoming one of six Tech players who placed on the All-Tournament Team.
Diving into the past, Virginia Tech will welcome many familiar faces back to English Field this weekend in hopes that it will help propel them to a series win against No. 7 Duke.
"It's good to see those guys coming back in here," said head coach John Szefc. "You always want to play well when those kinds of people are here."
Another top-25 opponent arriving in Blacksburg, Duke is fresh off its recent series win against Pitt. The Hokies enter with something to prove after dropping consecutive ACC sets against current-No. 12 Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.
Chalk full of history and competive action, English Field is sure to shine this weekend. First pitch times between No. 23 Virginia Tech and No. 7 Duke are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday (April 19), 7 p.m. on Saturday (April 20) and 1 p.m. on Sunday (April 21).