Hokie ClubARLINGTON, Texas – Despite hammering five home runs on Saturday, the Virginia Tech baseball team was forced to settle for its second defeat at the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series as the Hokies lost to No. 4 Mississippi State, 15-8, at Globe Life Field.
Ethan Ball’s solo home run during the bottom of the sixth inning kept Virginia Tech (7-3) in the game at the time, reducing the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-2 with the late innings left to be played. Beyond Ball’s homer – which extended the freshman’s career-opening hitting streak to 10 consecutive games – the Hokies managed to bring the potential tying run to the plate that same inning, though squandered their bid for more offense when Owen Petrich made the final out on a failed double steal attempt before Treyson Hughes could score from third base.
With the turn in momentum, Mississippi State (11-0) broke the contest open with five runs during the top of the seventh inning, witnessing its first four batters reach base against reliever Aiden Robertson. Bryce Chance’s RBI single was manifested by Aidan Teel’s two-RBI base knock as the Bulldogs stormed ahead, 10-2, heading into the seventh inning stretch.
Jacob Parker’s three-run homer during the top of the eighth inning extended Mississippi State’s lead to 13-2, temporarily putting the game in run rule contention. However, a pair of first collegiate hits by CJ Oxendine (leadoff single) and Aimon Chandler (two-run home run) allowed Virginia Tech to prolong the game, setting the score at 13-5 before the ninth inning.
There, the Bulldogs reinstated their double-digit lead, bringing eight more batters to the plate. Batting in an already decided affair, the Hokies led off the bottom of the ninth inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs by Anderson French, Hudson Lutterman and Sam Gates - a small consolation prize with the game out of reach.
Right-handed starter Griffin Stieg was roughed up through two innings of work, allowing four runs on five hits (three extra-base hits), walking three batters and striking out three. Reed Stallman’s RBI double opened the scoring during the top of the first inning while Ace Reese’s two-run homer during the second inning shot the Bulldogs out to the 4-0 lead.
Prior to Virginia Tech’s series of home runs, Lutterman’s one-out triple during the bottom of the third inning stood as the Hokies’ best hit of the weekend. On the first pitch he saw from starter Tomas Valincius,
Lutterman barreled a fly ball deep into the right field corner, troubling James Nunnallee’s glove work and bouncing away from the wall for the sophomore’s first career three-base hit.
Brendan Yagesh inherited Virginia Tech’s 4-0 deficit and pitched well to slow the bleeding, allowing one run through four innings – his longest relief outing to date with the Hokies. With a run home during the fifth inning, Yagesh induced an inning-ending pop-up from Aidan Teel that kept the margin at 5-1, later catching a base running blunder by the Bulldogs at the end of the sixth inning as they hit into a 9-3 double play.
Valincius registered seven strikeouts through five and one-third innings, holding Virginia Tech to four hits and earning the victory. Teel and Woodson co-led Mississippi State with 3-for-5 afternoons – part of five combined multi-hit performances by the Bulldogs.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will look to salvage a victory at the 2026 Amegy Bank College Baseball Series on Sunday, March 1, when the Hokies bump into No. 20 Tennessee. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET (10:30 a.m. CT) at Globe Life Field.