Hokie ClubWINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Hanging three crooked numbers at the beginning of Saturday’s ballgame, the Virginia Tech baseball team won a high-scoring affair at No. 16 Wake Forest, 11-8, clinching the teams’ three-game series at David F. Couch Ballpark.
In triumph, Virginia Tech (19-8, 6-5 ACC) posted its seventh win during its last eight games while securing its second consecutive series victory against a D1Baseball ranked opponent. Through two games this weekend, the Hokies have yet to trail the favorited Demon Deacons, having jumped out to leads of 9-0 on Friday (courtesy of a nine-run first inning) and 8-0 on Saturday (after two and a half innings of play).
Virginia Tech spun the first inning of Saturday’s game in its favor by stringing together four straight two-out hits, leading to three game-opening runs.
After Sam Tackett had singled into left field, Henry Cooke doubled Tackett to third base – one of two doubles hit by Virginia Tech’s junior catcher. Down 0-2 in the count against starter Matthew Dallas, Hudson Lutterman delivered a key two-RBI single for the Hokies, scoring from first base during the ensuing at-bat when Garrett Michel lined a slow-developing double through the left center field alley.
Much like during the first inning, Virginia Tech staged another two-out rally during the second inning. With Jared Davis aboard at first base following a knock into left field, Ben Watson teed off on a two-run home run to straightaway center field, circling the bases to put the Hokies on top, 5-0.
Cooke led off Virginia Tech’s third inning with a leadoff double down the left field line, triggering another three-run frame for the visitors. Standing in with the bases loaded, Treyson Hughes drew the Hokies’ third walk of the inning, pushing the lead to 6-0 before a combination of infield balls resulted in two more runs coming home.
Despite the 8-0 score line, Wake Forest (20-8, 7-4 ACC) charged back during the bottom of the third inning, batting three two-run home runs to pull within 8-6 of Virginia Tech. Matt Scannell and Kade Lewis roughed up freshman starter Jake Marciano with two such home run swings while Javar Williams added another against Jacob Exum, inviting the home crowd back into the contest.
Furthering the Demon Deacons’ comeback, Luke Costello homered against Andrew Sentlinger during the bottom of the fourth inning, tightening the game ever closer at 8-7. However, Virginia Tech earned the run back during the top of the fifth inning, assembling another two-out rally courtesy of a single by Hughes, two walks issued by Luke Schmolke and a wild pitch thrown by Haiden Leffew.
With the game hanging in the balance, Virginia Tech received a massive shot in the arm during the sixth inning as Michel clobbered a no-doubt, two-run home run over the batter’s eye in center field. Michel’s second home run of the season completed a 2-for-3, three-RBI day for the junior, one-upped only by Cooke’s 3-for-4 game that included three runs scored.
Grant Manning shut the door on Wake Forest, pitching the game’s final four and one-third innings to stamp his first save at the NCAA Division I level. Manning ended the sixth, seventh and eighth innings with strikeouts, finishing with five in total, allowing one run (solo homer by Lewis).