Hokies Fall to Cavaliers 11–6 in Game 1 of the Commonwealth Clash

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. Virginia Tech battled back to tie the game late, but Virginia used a big middle stretch to pull away and defeat the Hokies 11–6 Friday afternoon at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park.

The game marked the opening contest of the ACC series between the Hokies and the Virginia Tech Hokies baseball and the Virginia Cavaliers.

Hokies Strike First

Virginia Tech wasted little time getting on the board in the top of the first inning.

After Nick Locurto was hit by a pitch and Ethan Ball reached with a single, Hudson Lutterman lined a two-out RBI single down the left field line to score Locurto and give the Hokies an early 1–0 lead.

Virginia quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning. Sam Harris tied the game with an RBI single before Harrison Didawick followed with an RBI triple to right field, giving the Cavaliers a 2–1 advantage.

Cavaliers Add Early Insurance

Virginia extended its lead in the second inning when Eric Becker drove in a run with a double to left field, pushing the Cavaliers ahead 3–1.

In the third inning, Hokies second baseman Ethan Ball recorded a milestone moment, collecting his 23rd career base hit with a single through the left side.

However, Virginia Tech faced adversity when starting pitcher Ethan Grim exited the game with an apparent arm injury during the inning, forcing an early change on the mound.

Hokies Rally with Three-Single Inning

Virginia Tech responded in the fourth inning with its most productive offensive frame.

The rally began with three consecutive singles from Hudson Lutterman, Henry Cooke, and Owen Petrich. Petrich drove in a run to cut the deficit before the Hokies capitalized on productive outs.

• Sam Gates brought home a run with an RBI groundout
• Ethan Gibson added a sacrifice fly

The three-run inning gave the Hokies a 4–3 lead.

Virginia Regains Control

Virginia responded in the fifth inning when Noah Murray launched a three-run home run to deep left field, putting the Cavaliers back in front 6–4.

Virginia Tech fought back again in the sixth.

With two outs and two strikes, Sam Gates delivered one of the biggest swings of the game, sending a two-run homer down the right field line to tie the game 6–6.

The tie did not last long. In the bottom of the inning, AJ Gracia answered with a two-run home run of his own to restore the Virginia lead at 8–6.

Cavaliers Pull Away Late

Virginia created separation in the seventh inning.

An RBI single from Kyle Johnson added a run before an infield error allowed two more Cavaliers to score, extending the lead to 11–6.

Virginia Tech could not generate further offense over the final three innings as Virginia’s bullpen closed the door.

By the Numbers

Virginia Tech finished with 7 hits, highlighted by multi-hit performances from Ethan Ball and Hudson Lutterman. Gates led the Hokies with three RBIs, powered by his sixth-inning home run.

Virginia collected 12 hits and received a strong outing from left-hander Henry Zatkowski, who earned the win after pitching seven innings.

Up Next

The Hokies will look to even the series against the Cavaliers in Game 2 as the ACC rivalry continues in Charlottesville.

Virginia Cavaliers Defeats Virginia Tech Hokies 10–5 Behind Five Home Runs

Game Overview

The Virginia Cavaliers powered past the Virginia Tech Hokies with a 10–5 victory on March 14, 2026, at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park.

Virginia improved its record to 16–3 overall and 4–1 in ACC play, continuing one of the program’s strongest starts in recent seasons. Virginia Tech dropped to 8–9 overall and 1–4 in conference play, struggling to recover after an early deficit created by the Cavaliers’ power hitting.

Virginia’s offense produced 10 runs on 10 hits, highlighted by five home runs, which accounted for eight of the team’s runs. The early scoring gave Virginia a comfortable cushion that allowed its pitching staff to manage the remainder of the game despite a mid-game rally from the Hokies.

Left-handed starter Max Stammel earned the win, improving to 2–0 on the season after pitching six innings. Virginia Tech starter Brett Renfrow took the loss, falling to 0–3 after allowing seven runs in two innings of work.

Early Cavalier Power Surge

Virginia set the tone immediately in the bottom of the first inning with aggressive hitting against Renfrow. After Eric Becker reached base and AJ Gracia drew a walk, second baseman Joe Tiroly delivered the first major blow of the afternoon.

Tiroly turned on a pitch and launched a 375-foot home run to deep left field, driving in three runs and immediately giving Virginia a 3–0 lead. The homer was Tiroly’s third of the season and energized the Cavaliers’ dugout early.

Virginia wasn’t finished in the inning. Later with two outs, Zach Jackson lined a double into right-center field, allowing Harrison Didawick to score and extend the lead to 4–0 before the Hokies could escape the frame.

The Cavaliers continued their offensive barrage in the second inning. Catcher Jake Weatherspoon opened the inning by driving a pitch 388 feet over the left-field wall, recording his first home run of the season and increasing the lead to 5–0.

Later in the inning, Becker reached base again to set the stage for first baseman Sam Harris. Harris delivered another powerful swing, blasting a two-run homer to left field that pushed Virginia’s lead to 7–0 and firmly placed the Hokies on the defensive.

Hokies Rally in the Fourth

Despite the early deficit, Virginia Tech mounted its most significant rally during the top of the fourth inning.

The rally began when designated hitter Hudson Lutterman ripped a double down the left-field line. Moments later, catcher Henry Cooke added another double to put two runners in scoring position with no outs.

Outfielder Sam Gates then executed a well-placed bunt single that brought Lutterman home for Virginia Tech’s first run.

With momentum starting to shift, third baseman Owen Petrich stepped to the plate and delivered the Hokies’ biggest hit of the day. Petrich crushed a 368-foot three-run home run to left field, scoring Cooke and Gates and cutting the deficit dramatically to 7–4.

The four-run inning briefly swung momentum toward Virginia Tech and gave the Hokies hope of completing a comeback.

Virginia Responds Immediately

Virginia quickly regained control in the bottom half of the same inning.

Leadoff hitter AJ Gracia started the frame by driving a pitch 370 feet over the right-field wall, collecting his eighth home run of the season and restoring a four-run cushion at 8–4.

Later in the inning, Harris struck again. The Cavaliers’ first baseman connected on another deep fly ball, launching his second home run of the game—a 374-foot shot to left field—to push the lead to 9–4.

The back-to-back responses ensured Virginia Tech’s rally never fully developed into a comeback threat.

Final Scoring

Virginia Tech added one more run in the fifth inning when Hudson Lutterman drove a pitch 355 feet over the left-field wall for a solo home run, narrowing the score to 9–5.

Virginia responded once again in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on base, Becker lifted a sacrifice fly to left-center field, allowing Noah Murray to score and extend the Cavaliers’ lead to 10–5.

That run proved to be the final score of the game as both bullpens settled in during the final innings.

Hokies Power Past Cavaliers 6–3 Behind Lutterman’s Three-Run Homer

The Virginia Tech Hokies baseball secured an important ACC road victory Sunday afternoon, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers baseball 6–3 at Disharoon Park. A clutch three-run home run from Hudson Lutterman and a strong pitching performance from Griffin Stieg helped the Hokies capture their first win in Charlottesville since 2022.

Virginia Tech improved to 9–9 overall and 2–4 in ACC play, while Virginia fell to 16–4 overall and 4–2 in conference play. 

Strong Start from Stieg

Stieg earned the win after delivering one of his strongest outings of the season. The right-hander pitched six innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out seven batters.

His ability to limit damage and work out of jams helped the Hokies maintain control of the game until the offense could build a lead.

Pitching Duel Early

The game began as a tight pitching battle between Stieg and Virginia starter John Paone. Both teams struggled to generate offense early, with neither side scoring through the first three innings.

Stieg worked efficiently through the Virginia lineup, striking out several batters early while stranding runners. The Hokies defense also came up with key plays, including a double play in the first inning that erased an early Cavaliers scoring opportunity.

Virginia Tech managed just one hit through the first three frames but began to put better swings together as the lineup turned over.

Lutterman’s Blast Breaks the Game Open

The breakthrough came in the top of the fourth inning. Ethan Ball started the rally with a double to right field, and Treyson Hughes followed by drawing a walk to put two runners on base.

With one out, Lutterman stepped to the plate and delivered the biggest swing of the afternoon. The Hokies designated hitter crushed a 366-foot home run to deep left field, scoring both runners and giving Virginia Tech a 3–0 lead. The long ball was Lutterman’s fourth home run of the season and immediately shifted momentum in favor of the Hokies.

Hokies Extend the Lead

Virginia Tech continued to apply pressure in the fifth inning. Anderson French reached base with a walk and moved into scoring position after Pete Daniel was hit by a pitch.

With two runners on, Sam Grube ripped an RBI double to right field, scoring French and advancing Daniel to third base.

Moments later, Nick Locurto grounded out to bring Daniel home, and Grube eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch. The three-run inning extended the Hokies’ lead to 6–0, putting Virginia in a difficult position midway through the game.

Cavaliers Fight Back

Virginia finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. Shortstop Eric Becker launched a 405-foot solo home run, cutting the deficit to 6–1 and energizing the home crowd.

The Cavaliers made things more interesting in the seventh inning. After a triple down the right-field line by Kyle Johnson, pinch hitter Antonio Perrotta blasted a two-run homer to right field.

The shot trimmed the Hokies’ lead to 6–3 and briefly shifted momentum back toward Virginia as the Cavaliers attempted a late comeback.

Hokies Bullpen Slams the Door

After Virginia’s seventh-inning rally, the Hokies bullpen stepped up to preserve the lead. Relievers Luke Craytor and Brody Roe combined to navigate through the middle innings before turning things over to closer Preston Crowl.

Crowl delivered a dominant performance in the final frames, striking out four batters over 1.1 innings. In the ninth inning, he retired the side with three strikeouts to secure the 6–3 victory.

Hokies Outlast VCU in High-Scoring 11–8 Battle at English Field

BLACKSBURG, Va. Virginia Tech Hokies baseball used timely hitting, patience at the plate, and a dominant late relief appearance to outlast the VCU Rams 11–8 in a back-and-forth midweek matchup on Wednesday afternoon at English Field.

Despite giving up 12 hits, the Hokies capitalized on three VCU errors and delivered in key moments to secure the win.

Swift Sets the Tone Early

Left-hander Chase Swift came out sharp in his start, needing little time to establish control. He retired the side in order to open the game and struck out three of the first four batters he faced.

Swift worked two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four, giving Virginia Tech early momentum and confidence on the mound.

Lutterman Provides Early Spark

The Hokies struck first in the second inning thanks to Hudson Lutterman, who continued his strong start to the season.

Lutterman launched a solo home run to left field his fifth of the year putting Virginia Tech ahead 1–0 and energizing the Hokie Bench.

Momentum Swings in the Fourth

VCU responded with a four-run fourth inning to take a 4–1 lead, putting pressure on the Hokies to answer. Virginia Tech responded immediately and emphatically.

The rally started with a single from Pete Daniel, who was a consistent presence on base all afternoon. After Owen Petrich reached on a throwing error and Treyson Hughes drew a walk, the bases were loaded with two outs.

That’s when Sam Grube delivered the biggest swing of the game.

Grube crushed a grand slam to left field, flipping a three-run deficit into a 5–4 Hokies lead and completely shifting the energy inside English Field.

Hokies Take Advantage of Defensive Miscues

After VCU briefly tied the game at 5–5 in the fifth, Virginia Tech regained control in the sixth inning by taking advantage of mistakes in the field.

With traffic on the bases, Lutterman reached on an error by VCU shortstop Dante DeFranco. The misplay allowed three runs to score, all unearned as Treyson Hughes, Grube, and Nick Locurto crossed the plate.

The sequence extended the Hokies’ lead to 9–5 and proved to be one of the most pivotal moments of the game.

Clutch Hits Add Insurance Late

Virginia Tech continued to apply pressure late in the game, adding two key insurance runs in the eighth inning.

Pinch hitter Willie Hurt delivered a milestone moment, recording his first career RBI with a single to right field. Shortly after, Daniel added to his strong performance with another RBI single.

Daniel finished the day 3-for-5 with an RBI, leading a Hokies offense that produced 10 hits and consistently found ways to get on base.

Crowl Dominates in Relief

As VCU attempted to mount a comeback, right-hander Preston Crowl shut the door.

Entering in the eighth inning, Crowl was electric. He struck out the side in order, going three up and three down against the heart of the Rams lineup. He followed that with another clean inning in the ninth to seal the victory.

Crowl’s dominance extended beyond this game; he has now recorded seven consecutive strikeouts dating back to last weekend’s series against the Virginia Cavaliers baseball.

By the Numbers

• Virginia Tech: 11 runs, 10 hits, 1 error
   
• VCU: 8 runs, 12 hits, 3 errors
   
• Sam Grube: Grand slam, 4 RBI
   
• Hudson Lutterman: 2 hits, HR (5th of season)
   
• Pete Daniel: 3-for-5, RBI
   
• Preston Crowl: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K

Final Takeaway

Virginia Tech showed resilience and opportunism in Wednesday’s win, responding to adversity with timely offense and capitalizing on VCU’s defensive struggles. With a game-changing grand slam from Grube and a lights-out performance from Crowl, the Hokies proved they can win in multiple ways, slugging, grinding, and closing strong. The Hokies now have a quick turnaround at English Field, where they will face the Duke Blue Devils baseball this weekend in a three-game series.