Renfrow sets career strikeouts high as Hokies rock Stanford, 10-2Renfrow sets career strikeouts high as Hokies rock Stanford, 10-2
Baseball

Renfrow sets career strikeouts high as Hokies rock Stanford, 10-2

Henry Cooke, Ethan Gibson hammer homers for Virginia Tech during series-evening victory

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BLACKSBURG – Witness to a 12-strikeout gem by starter Brett Renfrow on Saturday, the Virginia Tech baseball team backed phenomenal pitching with all-around offensive contributions as the Hokies rocked the Cardinal, 10-2, to level the teams’ weekend series at English Field.

Logging his longest start since his ACC debut as a freshman in March 2024, Renfrow pitched masterfully through seven and one-third innings, earning his first winning decision in exactly one year to the date (March 28, 2025, at Wake Forest). While holding the visitors to a run on two hits, the right-hander set a career high with 12 strikeouts – his third career double-digit strikeout performance – notching his 200th career strikeout along the way during the top of the fourth inning.

With Renfrow in cruise control, Virginia Tech (13-12, 5-6 ACC) slugged its way into the lead, relying on two mammoth home runs that plated five of the team’s first six runs. Henry Cooke capped the Hokies’ four-hit, four-run second inning with his three-run blast to left field while Ethan Gibson’s two-run homer during the fourth inning – his second homer spanning as many days – rushed the home team out to the 6-1 lead.

Virginia Tech turned two walks during the fifth inning into two insurance runs that were ultimately batted in by Owen Petrich. After Stanford (12-13, 2-6 ACC) had cut off the Hokies’ double steal attempt to scratch a run across, allowing Sam Gates to steal second base while shepherding Hudson Lutterman back to third base, Petrich cracked a two-RBI single into right field, scoring them both to pad the lead at 8-1.

Seven distinct starters recorded at least one hit for Virginia Tech, which outhit the Cardinal, 9-3. Considering its six- through nine-hitters, the bottom half of the Hokies’ lineup combined to drive in nine of the team’s 10 runs, producing five hits while drawing four walks.

After batting big on Friday, the top three batters in Stanford’s lineup combined to swing 2-for-9 on Saturday. Leadoff first baseman Rintaro Sasaki hit a solo home run off Renfrow during the third inning – the Cardinal’s only run scored until the eighth inning.

Chase Swift picked up the final five outs in succession for Virginia Tech, adding three strikeouts to Renfrow’s 12. As a staff, the Hokies’ arms set a season low for hits allowed (three); their fewest allowed since Feb. 16, 2025, against Bucknell (two).

UP NEXT

Virginia Tech will wrap up its three-game ACC series against Stanford on Sunday, March 29, at English Field. First pitch between the Hokies and the Cardinal is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

REMAINING SERIES PROBABLE STARTERS

• Sunday (March 29):  TBA vs. Griffin Stieg (1-1, 6.48 ERA)