Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Scoring the first 10 runs of Sunday’s series finale, the Virginia Tech baseball team was able to coast to its first ranked series victory since 2023 as the Hokies downed No. 16 Louisville, 11-4, at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park, earning John Szefc his 600th career head coaching victory.
Through 20 head coaching seasons (eight at Virginia Tech), Szefc has led his programs to the combined .590 career winning percentage, comprised of 212 victories at Marist (1996-2002), 180 wins at Maryland (2013-17) and now 208 triumphs in Blacksburg. To date, his head coaching ledger includes 13 seasons of 30-plus wins (including four 40-win campaigns) and eight NCAA tournament appearances that have led to three Super Regional berths.
Virginia Tech (16-8, 4-5 ACC) capitalized on what was offered by Louisville (18-5, 3-3 ACC), drawing more walks (12) during the contest than its double-digit hits total (11). Ultimately, seven of the 15 Hokies who reached by walk or as hit batsmen came around to score, supplying the hosts with the comfortable, 10-0 lead after five innings of play.
Jared Davis and Clay Grady bookended Virginia Tech’s lineup with a pair of three-hit games, accounting for two of the team’s three extra-base hits. Davis led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run to left center field – his sixth homer of the season – while Grady kicked off the Hokies’ five-run second inning with a rocket of a two-RBI double down the left field line.
After producing three home runs through the opening two games of the series, Sam Tackett was walked four times (three intentionally) by the Cardinals, who contained the ACC slugging leader to an RBI single during the fifth inning. Henry Cooke went 2-for-4 and knocked an RBI double three batters after Tackett's single, helping push Virginia Tech closer to the threat of clinching the series by run rule.
Louisville rallied for three runs during the top of the seventh inning to extend the game, though the Hokies remained in full control through the late innings. Cameron LeJeune completed his third save of the season in three-inning fashion, retiring the final five hitters he faced in order after allowing a solo home run during the eighth inning to Tague Davis.
In victory, Virginia Tech celebrated its first series victory against a D1Baseball ranked opponent since April 2, 2023, when the Hokies won a three-game set against No. 5 Virginia in Blacksburg.