Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Taking the 4-1 lead into the eighth inning on Saturday night, the Virginia Tech baseball team was unable to hold on late against Pitt as the Hokies played to the 5-4 defeat at English Field.
Redshirt-junior right-hander Griffin Stieg logged his fourth quality start of the 2026 season, weathering nine hits by the Panthers to allow one run through six innings of work. Stieg toed 93 pitches and charted three strikeouts without issuing a walk, departing in line for the victory with a three-run lead.
Hudson Lutterman’s solo home run during the bottom of the sixth inning sparked a two-run scoring inning that helped Virginia Tech (18-19, 8-12 ACC) elevate its lead to 4-1 heading into the late innings. Relieving Steig, left-hander Chase Swift pitched the scoreless seventh inning for the Hokies, sandwiching strikeouts of Derrick Tarpley Jr. and Caden Dulin around a two-out walk before stretch time.
After escaping Virginia Tech’s two-hit seventh inning unscathed with its 6-4-3, inning-ending double play, Pitt (24-13, 7-10 ACC) orchestrated its comeback charge during the top of the eighth inning against right-hander Logan Eisenreich.
Pitt loaded the bases three batters into the inning as Lorenzo Carrier rode out an eight-pitch walk ahead of Kai Wagner’s single up the middle and Trey Fenderson beating out a bare-handed throw from shortstop by Pete Daniel. Composed after a mound visit, Eisenreich picked up consecutive ground ball outs – the first coming at the expense of a run – though fell behind, 3-1, against Carter Dierdorf, who proceeded to bat the game-tying, two-RBI single against him to the delight of the visitors.
As it had done during the seventh inning, Virginia Tech again put two base runners on with two outs to spare during the bottom of the eighth inning, though was unable to connect on the go-ahead swings. Ethan Gibson’s second of two hits pushed Nick Locurto into scoring position, where the Hokies’ designated hitter was soon thrown out as the lead runner on a fielder’s choice hit to the left side.
Returning to start the ninth inning, Eisenreich put two Pitt batters aboard on his final two pitches, surrendering a leadoff single to Dulin before plunking Carrier. Anthony LaSala’s sacrifice bunt against Brody Roe was almost unneeded as Roe followed by walking Fenderson and Joey Baran, back-to-back, supplying the Panthers with the 5-4 lead.
Virginia Tech’s 6-4-3, inning-ending double play came one batter too late for the Hokies, who received a breath of hope with Willie Hurt’s two-out, pinch-hit double – the first of the freshman’s collegiate career. However, right-hander Eddie Smink induced the game-ending groundout from Lutterman, capping two scoreless innings in closing that merited him Saturday’s winning decision.
Pitt struck first during the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Sebastian Pisacreta – the only run charged to Stieg during his six innings on the mound. Virginia Tech broke through with the tying run two innings later when Ethan Ball circled the bases without a hit, reaching to lead off the fourth inning after a passed ball by Baran had negated his strikeout.
In similar fashion, Virginia Tech broke for the 2-1 lead during the fifth inning without a hit, capitalizing on an errant throw by pitcher Michael Gray that turned a sacrifice bunt by Sam Gates into runners at the corners. Owen Petrich, who had taken off for third base on the error, scored during the next at-bat when Daniel grounded into the untimely, 4-3 double play that left the Hokies lying only a one-run lead.
Two batters after Lutterman had homered for Virginia Tech during the sixth inning, Locurto ripped a ground-rule double into the right field corner, stopping Gates at third base. Gates tagged and scored on Gibson’s ensuing sacrifice fly – the third run-scoring batted ball of the night by the Hokies that did not result in a hit.
Eight Pitt pitchers combined to go the distance for the Panthers. Fenderson led the visitors with his 3-for-4 game while five of the team’s 14 hits were earned from the top three batters in its lineup (AJ Nessler, Dulin, Carrier).
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will look to capture the series rubber match against Pitt on Sunday, April 19, at English Field. First pitch between the Hokies and the Panthers is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
REMAINING SERIES PROBABLE STARTERS
• Sunday (April 19): TBA vs. TBA