It wasn’t that the Hokies didn’t have it in them to compete with the No. 14 Cavaliers in their 11-6 loss in Charlottesville on Friday.
Rather, a season-high four Virginia Tech (8-8, 1-3 ACC) errors led to five unearned runs for Virginia (15-3, 3-1), which was the final deficit in an otherwise back-and-forth affair. The Cavaliers pulled away with three seventh-inning runs to cement the final score, while Tech’s last 10 batters were all retired.
Hokies starter and freshman right-hander Ethan Grim left the game with an injury two pitches into the fourth inning. He allowed just one earned run upon his exit, though UVa tacked on two more unearned.
“He looks like he’s got a strained flexor,” Tech head coach John Szefc told the Collegiate Times after the game. The Mohnton, Pa., native has started two straight Fridays and would be a major loss for the Hokies, who are already without pitchers Madden Clement, Ben Weber and Logan Eisenreich, according to Friday’s availability report ahead of the series.
Friday’s game featured eight lead changes or ties, the last of which came as a two-run home run by UVa center fielder AJ Gracia in the sixth inning to put his team up 8-6. Reliever Brendan Yagesh surrendered the 377-foot bomb, though one of those runs was unearned due to shortstop Ethan Gibson’s error to put the previous batter on first.
In the top of the fifth — which the Hokies entered up 4-3 — Owen Petrich mishandled a line drive to third to take a one-out baserunner and an error. Virginia left fielder Harrison Didawick singled off Yagesh before Virginia third baseman Noah Murray launched a three-run home run to left field, putting the Cavaliers ahead 6-4.
Sam Gates cracked his second homer of the year in the sixth to score himself and Petrich, who reached off UVa starter Henry Zatkowski’s error — the Cavaliers’ only one all day. Gates’ 365-foot missile evened things at six, though Gracia’s homer in the bottom side was the eventual game-winner.
Zatkowski recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts across seven innings without giving up a walk. The only free base he allowed came in the first inning, when he hit Nick Locurto to give Tech its first baserunner. Hudson Lutterman, batting fifth as a designated hitter, brought Locurto home with a base hit down the left-field line to give the Hokies the first lead of the game.
Locurto misplayed a fly ball in left field later that inning to put Gracia on the basepaths, who made it to second. First baseman Sam Harris singled him in, then the Cavaliers took a 2-1 lead with Didawick’s two-out triple. Neither run was earned.
UVa’s third score, however, was. Shortstop Eric Becker ushered designated hitter Kyle Johnson home with a two-out double that dropped into left field.
Three consecutive base hits and a stint of small ball gave the Hokies their second lead in the fourth inning at 4-3. Lutterman, Cooke and Petrich singled in a row, with the third one scoring Lutterman. Gates grounded out to first to bring Cooke home, then Gibson’s sacrifice fly plated Petrich.
Zatkowksi put the Hokies down in order in the seventh inning before being relieved by UVa bullpen ace Lucas Hartman in the eighth. He retired six straight batters — four of which he struck out — to shut the door on Tech.
Lutterman and Ball recorded two-hit games, though Ball, Treyson Hughes, Cooke and Gates finished with multiple strikeouts. Didawick (4-for-5), Gracia (2-for-4, walk) and Johnson (2-for-3, walk) thrived off Grim and Yagesh, the latter of which allowed five of Tech’s six earned runs but notched six K’s.
The Hokies have two more shots at the Cavaliers this weekend, with Saturday’s matchup likely to feature Brett Renfrow’s second straight Game 2 start. First pitch comes at 1 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
Box Score: No. 14 Virginia 11, Virginia Tech 6