BLACKSBURG – Limited to one run-scoring hit on Saturday night, the No. 11 Virginia Tech baseball team was unable to work itself back from an early three-run deficit as the Hokies lost their second game in a row to No. 21 Wake Forest, 6-3, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Right-hand starter Wyatt Parliament recorded six strikeouts through four and two-thirds innings pitched for Virginia Tech (21-7, 10-4 ACC), which had its streak of seven consecutive season-opening series victories snapped by the Demon Deacons. Parliament allowed one walk and scattered four hits through the course of this start, though was tagged for three runs courtesy of Seaver King's home run during the top of the second inning.
Wake Forest (20-10, 6-8 ACC) rode the strength of left-hand starter Josh Hartle, who matched Parliament in length but yielded eight strikeouts, holding the Hokies to five hits (all singles). Jack Winnay and Jake Reinisch came through with back-to-back RBI singles during the fifth inning that extended the Demon Deacons' lead to 5-2 well before the teams traded runs during the ninth inning.
Virginia Tech responded well to King's three-run home run during the second inning, receiving a pair of table-setting leadoff singles by Ben Watson and Gehrig Ebel. Two batters later, Henry Cooke turned his 0-2 count into a six-pitch walk of Harlte, loading the bases for nine-hitter Sam Tackett to make things interesting.
Tackett proceeded to bat a chopper to the left side for shortstop Marek Houston, who was a fraction of a second late in denying Tackett his RBI infield single. After Clay Gray's fly ball to right field was too shallow to score another run, Carson DeMartini was brushed on the hands by Hartle's first delivery, plating Ebel to cut the Wake Forest lead to 3-2.
Despite the response, Tech struggled to find its offensive form as Harlte recorded a streak of four consecutive strikeouts, preserving the Demon Deacons' lead into the fifth inning. There, Parliament collected the opening two outs before the heart of Wake Forest's lineup was due at the plate, prompting the Hokies to bring Jeremy Neff out of the pen.
However, Neff was unable to close the door with the bases empty, conceding a two-out single to Adam Tellier that led to the Demon Deacons' rally. Walking Kurtz to introduce a second base runner, Neff was hit twice more by Winnay and Reinisch, who threaded the right holes at the right time with their respective RBI knocks to creep Wake Forest's lead up to 5-2.
Virginia Tech had chances to slide back into contention, though was unsuccessful in finding the spark it needed. The Hokies lost their challenge of the fifth inning's final out at second base that would have loaded the bases for Christian Martin, later squandering a two-on, one-out situation during the eighth inning when David McCann grounded into the inning-ending, 6-3 double play.
Tech right-hand reliever Grant Manning racked up five strikeouts through his four innings of closing work, allowing two hits – one to Kurtz on his solo homer during the ninth inning. Grady scored the matching run for the Hokies, belting a one-out double down the left field line and crossing the plate on a balk by Cole Roland.
UP NEXT
No. 11 Virginia Tech will look to avoid a home sweep against No. 21 Wake Forest on Sunday, April 7. First pitch between the Hokies and the Demon Deacons at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Gallery: (4-6-2024) BSB: Wake Forest Game 2