Hokie ClubCHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – With Sam Gates hammering the game-tying, two-run home run during the sixth inning on Friday, the Virginia Tech baseball team was in contention to take its series opener at No. 14 Virginia, despite the Hokies succumbing to late runs during their 11-6 loss at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park.
Gates set a season high with three RBIs, delivering two game-tying swings during the ballgame – one via groundout during the third inning and the second with his second homer of the 2026 season (22nd of his career). Ethan Ball and Hudson Lutterman added two-hit performances from the middle of the lineup while Henry Cooke and Owen Petrich rounded out the cumulative seven-hit effort.
Virginia Tech (8-8, 1-3 ACC) struck first five batters into the contest as Lutterman knocked an RBI single into left field, scoring Nick Locurto from second base. After Virginia (15-3, 3-1 ACC) had rallied for three runs against starter Ethan Grim, the Hokies went to work during the fourth inning, relying on three consecutive leadoff hits to set the table for their three-run inning.
Grim returned to pitch the bottom of the fourth inning, where he lasted two pitches before departing the game due to injury. Relieving the freshman, Brendan Yagesh recovered from the leadoff single he allowed, leaving the game-tying run in scoring position while protecting Virginia Tech’s 4-3 lead.
However, Virginia flipped the score in its favor during the bottom of the fifth inning as Noah Murray hit the go-ahead, three-run home run off Yagesh. Two batters prior, Petrich had misplayed a soft line drive that allowed an unearned base runner to reach – one of four errors committed by the Hokies (season high) and one of four unearned runs that crossed the plate.
AJ Gracia put the Cavaliers ahead for good with his two-run home run during the bottom of the sixth inning. Virginia rallied for three more runs during the bottom of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will look to even the 2026 Commonwealth Clash presented by Smithfield on Saturday, March 14. First pitch between the Hokies and the Cavaliers at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.