Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Dialing up another game-winning single by Sam Grube on Sunday, the Virginia Tech baseball team walked off Duke, 7-6, during the bottom of the 10th inning at English Field to clinch its first ACC series victory of the 2026 campaign.
Grube’s RBI base knock up the middle marked the sophomore’s second career walk-off hit and his second of the season, having delivered the two-RBI single that won the Hokies their Feb. 14 game against William & Mary. On Sunday, Grube’s heroic single was the icing on his 3-for-5 day from the leadoff spot – the position from which he bagged six hits against the Blue Devils during the series.
Virginia Tech (12-10, 4-5 ACC) bounced back to win after overcoming its first blown save of the season, coming an out away from victory during the top of the ninth inning. With the Hokies leading, 6-5, Pete Daniel’s errant throw from shortstop to nab Tyler Albright sailed wide and out of play, resulting in the two-base error that made Brody Roe’s job at closing much more challenging.
Roe picked up the second out of the inning on a first-pitch fly out by RJ Hamilton at the expense of Albright tagging and advancing to third base. Building a two-strike count against Kaden Smith, the left-hander unfortunately lost his seven-pitch battle with the opposing designated hitter, who lifted the game-tying single for Duke (16-10, 4-5 ACC) into left field.
Delaying its bid for victory, Virginia Tech appeared ready to walk off the Blue Devils during the bottom of the ninth inning when Ethan Ball drove an 0-2 pitch from Aiden O’Connell through the gap in right center, legging out his sixth double of the season. However, Ball made a costly base running blunder when he left early on Nick Locurto’s ensuing fly ball to left center that was ultimately tracked down by Hamilton, who started the 8-6-4 relay that doubled up Ball at second base, squashing the threat.
Ball had supplied Virginia Tech with a meaningful insurance run during the bottom of the seventh inning when he carried the solo home run out to left field that put the Hokies on top at the time, 6-4. Together, Ball and Grube combined to bat 5-for-9, swinging all but four of the team’s nine hits.
Senior right-hander Griffin Stieg settled into his start after allowing a pair of solo home runs to Smith and Jake Lambdin during the first and second innings, respectively. Virginia Tech pulled even for Stieg during the third inning by loading the bases, receiving a clutch two-out, two-RBI single from Locurto that knotted the game at 2-2.
Duke stung Stieg for two more runs during the top of the fourth inning, largely due in part to Lambdin’s RBI double hit to right center field. Lambdin continued to test Stieg by stealing third base and eliciting an errant throw from Henry Cooke that danced up the left field line, bringing Lambdin home and putting the Hokies behind, 4-2.
Sam Gates answered the bell for Virginia Tech during the bottom of the fourth inning, pulling a leadoff home run to right field for his third homer of the season. Three batters later, Treyson Hughes drew the fourth and final walk off starter Andy Leon before stealing second base against reliever Grayson Walker and scoring on Grube’s game-tying RBI single through the left side of the infield.
Stieg lasted four innings for the Hokies, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out four batters while issuing two walks. Chase Swift tossed two scoreless innings behind Stieg and was in line for the win following
Hudson Lutterman’s go-ahead RBI infield single during the bottom of the fifth inning.
Factoring in contributions by Logan Eisenreich and Luke Craytor, Virginia Tech’s bullpen combined to pitch six innings, allowing two runs (one earned), six hits and one walk while uniting for six strikeouts.
Lambdin (3-for-4) and Matthew Strand (3-for-5) accounted for half of Duke’s 12 hits.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will travel to ETSU on Tuesday, March 24. First pitch between the Hokies and the Buccaneers at Thomas Stadium in Johnson City, Tennessee, is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.