Hokie ClubHARRISONBURG, Va. - Behind Owen Petrich’s RBI triple during the first inning on Tuesday and Pete Daniel’s solo home run during the sixth inning, the Virginia Tech baseball team pocketed its first road victory of the season, defeating James Madison, 5-4, at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park.
Petrich’s triple – the second of the fifth-year infielder’s collegiate career – was the defining hit of the Hokies’ two-run first inning, coming less than 10 pitches into the ballgame. With Sam Grube aboard at second base following his booming double to left field, Petrich carried a pitch from JMU starter Patrick Bauer off the wall in left center field, legging out three bases while putting the visitors on top, 1-0.
Entering Tuesday’s tilt with a seven-game hitting streak, freshman Ethan Ball brought Petrich in during the ensuing at-bat, shuttling an RBI single into right field. By game’s end, the top three batters in Virginia Tech’s lineup combined to swing six of the team’s nine hits, each sporting multi-hit performances.
Virginia Tech (7-1) cashed in for two more runs during the third inning to take the 4-0 lead for starter Ben Weber, who was charged for two runs, including one on Brody Roe’s watch during the fourth inning. Roe ended as the victor, finishing with two and one-third scoreless innings and benefiting from Daniel’s first homer of the season – a high, solo blast that arced its way over the left field wall.
James Madison (3-4) challenged the Hokies late, but was routinely denied by poor execution with runners on base. In total, the Dukes left eight of their 10 runners on base from the sixth inning onward, leaving a runner at third base each time.
Peyton Smith and Ethan Gibson saved Virginia Tech’s midweek win. Smith entered with two on and one out during the bottom of the ninth inning, earning the final out when Gibson dove at first base to keep Keegan Haesler’s ground ball in the infield, sprinting to the bag to record the game’s final out.