Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. – On the short side of an 8-7 ballgame heading into the eighth inning on Saturday, the Virginia Tech baseball team returned from a second, extended inclement weather delay unable to keep NC State within striking distance as the Hokies slipped late to the Wolfpack, 14-7, at English Field.
Junior infielder Ethan Gibson went 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs to pace Virginia Tech (21-20, 10-13 ACC), which held leads of 1-0, 5-2 and 6-5 during the opening three innings of play. Sophomore utility man Hudson Lutterman finished 2-for-4, knotting the game at 7-7 during the fifth inning with his solo home run to left field while Sam Gates tallied two hits for the second consecutive game, dropping a squeeze-bunt single during the Hokies’ four-run second inning.
After holding NC State (27-15, 10-10 ACC) to a tie for its season low in hits (three) during Friday’s series opener, Virginia Tech weathered a 15-hit performance by the Wolfpack on Saturday. Together, NC State’s four starters atop its lineup combined to swing 10-for-18, score nine runs, power two home runs and tally five RBIs.
Gibson wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games, driving a double to left center two batters into the first inning. After a wild pitch on ball four to Henry Cooke had moved Gibson up 90 feet to third base, Cooke found himself picked off by the Wolfpack’s left-handed starter, Cooper Consiglio, who ended up applying the tag in the 1-3-6-1 rundown that scored Gibson as the game’s opening run.
NC State made starter Logan Eisenreich pay for his leadoff walk to Sherman Johnson as Dalton Bargo followed with a two-run home run off the right field foul pole. Outside of allowing a two-out double to Rett Johnson, Eisenreich recovered to leave the margin at 2-1, inviting the Hokies to bat big during the bottom of the second inning.
Sure enough, Virginia Tech proceeded to plate four runs on four hits, using a pull-back RBI double by Pete Daniel to tie the game at 2-2. With runners on first and second base, Daniel drew the NC State corner defenders in by squaring to sacrifice before pulling back mid-delivery and chopping a two-base knock over Chris McHugh’s head up the first base line.
Two batters later, Gates reinstated the Hokies’ lead with his squeeze bunt that scored Nick Locurto, beating the throw down to first base for an RBI single. Despite a failed second bunt by Sam Grube, Gibson brought in a pair of two-out runs with his ensuing double to right field that escaped the dive of Sherman Johnson, vaulting the home team in front, 5-2.
Quick to respond, NC State rallied for three game-tying runs during the top of the third dinning, sandwiching doubles by Mikey Ryan (leadoff) and McHugh (two-RBI) around a single by Ty Head. Cooke’s errant throw to second base on a bid to back pick McHugh led to an unearned run scored by the Wolfpack – the first of two during the day – as Bargo delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly to center field.
Virginia Tech continued to press ahead during the bottom of the third inning that was interrupted by a 25-minute inclement weather delay. After Consiglio had issued respective walks to Locurto and Daniel before and after the delay, Owen Petrich punched the go-ahead RBI single into center field, putting the Hokies in control of the lead for the third time.
NC State tipped the game back in its favor during the top of the fourth inning, receiving a two-run home run by Head against reliever Ethan Grim. Refusing to go quietly, Virginia Tech evened the game at 7-7 during the bottom of the fifth inning courtesy of Lutterman’s ninth home run of the season that sailed into the Hokies’ bullpen.
Deadlocked heading into the sixth inning, Virginia Tech provided NC State with a free leadoff base runner via Daniel’s two-base throwing error from shortstop. Luke Nixon bunted the benefactor, Rett Johnson, over to third base, from where he scored on Ryan’s go-ahead sacrifice fly that crept the Wolfpack ahead, 8-7.
With the one-run game standing during the top of the eighth inning, NC State managed to put its first two batters aboard before lightning triggered a second inclement weather delay that ultimately lasted one hour and 47 minutes.
When the delay had been lifted, Virginia Tech’s bullpen struggled picking up essential outs it needed to keep the Hokies in contention. Aiden Robertson allowed two inherited runners to score and was charged for two more earned runs that crossed against Josh Berzonski, whose two-out wild pitch on a third strike to Brayden Fraasman led to Drew Lanphere’s two-RBI single.
Nixon tacked on a solo home run during the ninth inning against Danny Lazaro to cap the scoring. In total, NC State scored its final six runs after the resumption of play following the second inclement weather delay.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will look to champion another ACC rubber match on Sunday, April 26, against NC State. First pitch between the Hokies and the Wolfpack at English Field is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
REMAINING SERIES PROBABLE STARTERS
• Sunday (April 26): TBA vs. TBA