CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Riding two key home run swings by Ben Watson and Clay Grady on Sunday afternoon, the Virginia Tech baseball team managed to pocket a win at No. 15 North Carolina as the Hokies left town with the 4-3 victory at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium.
Watson's solo home run coming two batters into the ballgame set the tone for his feverish, 3-for-5 day at the plate that also featured two doubles. Moving over from center field to left field in a Sunday position swap with Chris Cannizzaro, Watson ended April with his season batting average parked at .406 (67 hits, 41 games played) – now the second highest mark among ACC hitters this season.
With Virginia Tech (27-14, 13-11 ACC) trailing by a run during the fourth inning, Grady came through with his biggest hit of the year, shuttling the two-run home run to left field that delivered the Hokies their final lead at 3-2. Grady set a season high with his two extra-base hits, pairing his first home run of the spring with a leadoff double during the top of the sixth inning.
Tech was dealt a difficult hand during the bottom of the first inning when right-hand starter Griffin Stieg was forced to exit the game, tending to an unanticipated injury. However, the Hokies' bullpen successfully picked up Stieg, navigating two scoring innings to shut out the Tar Heels from the third through seventh innings.
North Carolina (33-11, 17-7 ACC) – which entered Sunday sporting a 26-1 record at home this season – turned Tech's game-opening error into the game-tying, unearned run during the first inning. Three batters after Alex Madera had reached via errant handling at shortstop (the only batter Stieg faced), Parks Harber knocked an RBI single into right field off Jacob Exum, knotting the game at 1-1.
Exum settled in as his outing progressed, though was responsible for allowing Alberto Osuna's leadoff double to start the bottom of the second inning. Tech's right-hander recovered to induce three consecutive fly ball outs to center field, despite Gavin Gallaher's going down as the sacrifice fly that put the Tar Heels on top, 2-1.
With Exum holding UNC to a run on two hits through three relief innings, Brady Kirtner stepped in during the fourth inning to defend the Hokies' midgame lead. Receiving a timely, 4-5-3 double play during the bottom of the fourth inning, Kirtner collected nine outs from his first nine batters faced, working out of a jam during the seventh inning to keep Tech steadily in front, 4-2.
North Carolina made a run at Virginia Tech's lead during the bottom of the eighth inning when Carson DeMartini was unable to barehand Gallaher's leadoff chopper. Grounded by his teammate into scoring position, Gallaher came home on Madera's ensuing RBI single to right field, prompting the Hokies to bring in Jordan Little for the five-out save.
On cue, Little struck out Vance Honeycutt for the second out of the eighth inning before winning an eight-pitch battle with Casey Cook. During the ninth inning, Little bounced back from a leadoff single by Harber to score his sixth save of the season, highlighted by his game-ending strikeout of Luke Stevenson.
In total, Virginia Tech's bullpen was asked to pick up all 27 outs, allowing two runs on six hits, combining for eight strikeouts while issuing one walk.
Chris Cannizzaro earned an RBI on his much-needed insurance swing during the fifth inning, singling in Watson after the latter's first double of the day.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will host North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, May 1, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.