Hokies Drop Fourth Straight After Grueling Stretch in Arlington and Blacksburg
No. 23 Texas A&M Blanks Virginia Tech 10–0 in Arlington
ARLINGTON, Texas A tightly contested pitchers’ duel through five innings unraveled in the sixth as No. 23 Texas A&M Aggies handed the Virginia Tech Hokies a 10–0 defeat Friday night at Globe Life Field.
Virginia Tech (7–2) managed five hits but could not capitalize, finishing 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranding six. Texas A&M (9–0) used an explosive eight-run sixth inning to remain unbeaten.
Early Pitching Duel
Right-hander Brett Renfrow (0–2) set the tone early for the Hokies, striking out seven over five innings. His lone early mistake came in the first inning when Chris Hacopian crushed a 424-foot solo home run to left-center, giving the Aggies a 1–0 lead.
Texas A&M added another run in the fourth. Caden Sorrell came around to score on a Terrence Kiel II RBI single after a Hokie throwing error extended the inning, pushing the advantage to 2–0.
On the other side, Aggies starter Shane Sdao (2–0) was equally sharp. The right-hander delivered six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out five while consistently working out of trouble.
𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙪𝙨 𝙪𝙥, @BrettRenfrow 🔥
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) February 28, 2026
💻 https://t.co/cllTnSgzYr (@FloCollegeBSB)#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/CqV1a1Ho6p
Missed Opportunities Haunt Hokies
Virginia Tech had chances but couldn’t break through.
In the first inning, Ethan Ball doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Sdao escaped with a strikeout to end the threat. The Hokies mounted another opportunity in the fourth when Hudson Lutterman walked and Nick Locurto singled and stole second, placing two runners in scoring position with two outs. Once again, the Hokies were turned away.
Virginia Tech’s inability to deliver timely hits proved costly as momentum gradually shifted toward the Aggies.
Sixth-Inning Surge Seals It
The game decisively flipped in the sixth following a Hokie pitching change.
Texas A&M erupted for eight runs on five hits, aided by two hit batters and a sacrifice fly. Blake Binderup and Sorrell each delivered two-RBI doubles, and Jake Duer added another run-scoring double to cap the rally.
What had been a competitive 2–0 contest quickly ballooned into a double-digit deficit.
By the Numbers
- Texas A&M: 10 runs, 10 hits, 0 errors
- Virginia Tech: 0 runs, 5 hits, 2 errors
- Game Time: 2:16
Locurto and Ball led the Hokies with two hits apiece, but Virginia Tech managed just one baserunner over the final two innings as Texas A&M closed out the shutout victory in Arlington.
Mississippi State Bulldogs baseball 15, Virginia Tech Hokies 8
February 28, 2026 – Globe Life Field | Arlington, Texas
Fast Start for the Bulldogs
Fourth-ranked Mississippi State (11-0) wasted no time setting the tone. In the first inning, Reed Stallman roped an RBI double to score Aidan Teel and give the Bulldogs an early 1–0 lead.
The second inning proved even more damaging for Virginia Tech (7-3). Teel added an RBI single before Ace Reese launched a 399-foot, two-run homer to right-center, pushing the advantage to 4–0. Mississippi State collected three runs in the frame and forced Hokies starter Griffin Stieg to labor through traffic early.
Hokies Show Signs of Life
Virginia Tech answered in the third inning when Hudson Lutterman tripled to right field putting himself on record watch and later scored on Ethan Gibson’s sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4–1.
In the sixth, Ethan Ball electrified the crowd with a towering 448-foot solo homerun to center field, trimming the margin to 5–2 and briefly swinging momentum toward the Hokies.
Seventh-Inning Surge Breaks It Open
The game turned decisively in the seventh inning.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Mississippi State strung together a sequence of clutch at-bats. James Nunnallee was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Bryce Chance followed with an RBI single, and Teel delivered a two-run single through the right side. Reese capped the five-run explosion with a sacrifice fly, extending the lead to 10–2.
The Bulldogs weren’t finished. In the eighth inning, Jacob Parker crushed a 415-foot, three-run homer to right-center, stretching the advantage to 13–2.
𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 🔨
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) March 1, 2026
💻 https://t.co/lyj8NSX3cG (@FloCollegeBSB)#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/uv8CUkQbYR
Late Power Surge from Virginia Tech
The Hokies refused to go quietly.
A wild pitch, first career hit for CJ Oxendine, and a first career hit on a three-run homer from Aimon Chandler in the eighth made it 13–5. Then in the ninth inning, Virginia Tech put together a dramatic display of power as Anderson French, Hudson Lutterman, and Sam Gates launched back-to-back-to-back solo homeruns.
The three-homer burst cut the deficit to 15–8, but Mississippi State reliever Jack Gleason struck out the side to end the game.
By the Numbers
- Mississippi State: 15 runs, 15 hits, 2 errors
- Virginia Tech: 8 runs, 11 hits, 1 error
- Tomas Valincius (3-0) earned the win with 5.1 innings and seven strikeouts.
- Griffin Stieg (0-1) took the loss for the Hokies.
- Virginia Tech hit five home runs in the contest.
Despite the late fireworks, Mississippi State’s relentless offense and decisive seventh inning kept the Bulldogs unbeaten with a 15–8 victory in Arlington.
Tennessee Volunteers Baseball 3, Virginia Tech Hokies 1
March 1, 2026 – Globe Life Field | Arlington, Texas
Pitchers Set the Tone Early
Sunday morning’s matchup in Arlington turned into a tightly contested pitching duel, with No. 20 Tennessee edging Virginia Tech 3–1 in a crisp 2-hour, 39-minute contest.
Virginia Tech starter Ethan Grim was sharp through five innings, allowing just two runs on two hits while striking out five. Tennessee left-hander Evan Blanco matched him frame for frame, scattering two hits across 5.1 innings and striking out six.
Both offenses were quiet through the first two innings before Tennessee broke through in the third.
Volunteers Strike First
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Ariel Antigua singled and Jay Abernathy worked a walk to create traffic on the bases. Henry Ford delivered in the clutch, lining an RBI single up the middle to score Antigua and give the Volunteers a 1–0 lead.
The Hokies responded in the fourth inning thanks to Nick Locurto. The junior outfielder crushed a 366-foot solo home run to left field, knotting the game at 1–1 and injecting life into the Virginia Tech dugout.
𝙎𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙖 👋@NickLocurto is the latest of six distinct Virginia Tech players to have homered this weekend at Globe Life Field#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/By9wEovBIu
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) March 1, 2026
Sixth-Inning Difference
The game turned in the bottom of the sixth.
After a leadoff walk to Abernathy, Tennessee capitalized. Blaine Brown ripped an RBI double up the middle to plate the go-ahead run, and Levi Clark followed with another double down the left-field line to extend the lead to 3–1.
Chase Swift came on in relief but the damage was done, as the Volunteers strung together timely extra-base hits to seize control.
Bullpen Holds the Line
From there, Tennessee’s bullpen shut the door.
Mark Hindy earned the win with two-thirds of an inning in relief, and Brayden Krenzel collected his first save of the season, tossing three scoreless innings while striking out four.
Virginia Tech managed just three hits on the day and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Despite putting the leadoff batter aboard three times, the Hokies could not generate sustained offense.
By the Numbers
- Tennessee: 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
- Virginia Tech: 1 run, 3 hits, 1 error
- Nick Locurto accounted for the Hokies’ lone RBI with his fourth-inning homer.
- Tennessee went 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
- Virginia Tech struck out 11 times.
The loss drops the Hokies to 7–4 on the season, while Tennessee improves to 8–3. In a weekend filled with offensive fireworks, Sunday’s finale was defined by timely hitting and dominant bullpen work from the Volunteers.
Marshall Powers Past Virginia Tech, 13–5, in Blacksburg
The Marshall Thundering Herd erupted for 13 runs on 18 hits Tuesday afternoon, overpowering the Virginia Tech Hokies 13–5 at English Field. A five-run fourth inning flipped the game in Marshall’s favor, and the Herd never looked back.
Marshall improves to 5-6 on the season, while Virginia Tech falls to 7-5.
Early Hokies Pressure
Virginia Tech struck first in the opening frame. After singles by Sam Grube and Pete Daniel, aggressive baserunning and a wild pitch allowed Grube to score for a 1-0 lead.
The Hokies added two more in the third. Daniel delivered an RBI double to left-center, then later stole home as part of a double steal to extend the advantage to 4-1. Virginia Tech’s speed created early problems for Marshall pitching, marking the third double steal the Herd has allowed in recent games.
𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙎 🚔
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) March 3, 2026
Sneaky, sneaky stuff from @NickLocurto and @PeteDaniel13 here as we extend our lead, 3-1 (B3)#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/5BE7rKqVpK
Fourth-Inning Surge Turns the Tide
Trailing 4-1, Marshall’s offense erupted in the fourth inning.
Cooper Hinson sparked the rally with a single and later scored on Mason Onate’s RBI double. Jack Smith followed with an RBI single, and Evan Bottone tied the game with a run-scoring hit to left.
The decisive blow came off the bat of Jackson Halter, who roped a two-run double down the left-field line to cap a five-run inning and give Marshall a 6-4 lead. Five of six batters reached safely during the rally as the Herd seized momentum.
Adding On: Power and Production
Marshall continued to build the lead:
- Fifth inning: Ethan Murdoch blasted a 396-foot solo home run, his third of the season to make it 7-4.
- Sixth inning: RBI singles from Tyler Kamerer and Hinson pushed the lead to 9-4.
- Seventh inning: The Herd capitalized on a Virginia Tech error, plating four more runs, three unearned, highlighted by Hinson’s two-run double.
Marshall finished 8-for-19 with runners in scoring position and scored in five separate innings.
Standout Performances
Marshall Offense
- Evan Bottone: 3-for-4, 3 runs, RBI
- Tyler Kamerer: 3-for-6, 2 RBI, run scored
- Cooper Hinson: 3-for-5, double, 3 RBI
- Wil Gubba: 3-for-5, double, 2 runs
- Jackson Halter: 2 RBI, key two-run double
- Ethan Murdoch: Solo HR, RBI
Marshall totaled 18 hits and stranded 10 runners but consistently delivered in key moments.
𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙡 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙨 💪@PeteDaniel13 drives in Grube as we jump back ahead, 2-1 (B3)#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/Bii4tBOHAA
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) March 3, 2026
Virginia Tech Highlights
- Sam Grube: 2-for-4, two runs scored
- Pete Daniel: 2-for-4, double, RBI, three stolen bases
- Hudson Lutterman: 2-for-4, RBI
- Willie Hurt: Collected his first collegiate hit
The Hokies tallied nine hits but went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and were held hitless in their final three innings.
On the Mound
Marshall’s pitching steadied after a rocky start.
- Alex Caudill: 3.0 IP, 3 ER
- Landen Doll (W, 1-1): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K
Doll was dominant in relief, striking out six of the final seven batters he faced and finishing with eight punchouts to earn the win.
Virginia Tech starter Ben Weber (L, 1-1) allowed five runs over 3.1 innings. The Hokies used eight pitchers in the contest, surrendering 18 hits overall.
By the Numbers
- Marshall: 13 runs, 18 hits, 0 errors
- Virginia Tech: 5 runs, 9 hits, 1 error
- Game Time: 3:30
- Weather: 58°F
Marshall’s balanced offensive attack and dominant relief pitching proved decisive, as the Herd closed strong to secure a convincing road victory. The Hokies now face a quick turnaround this weekend, traveling to Atlanta, Georgia, to open up ACC play against the fifth-ranked Yellow Jackets.