Virginia Tech defeated VCU 8-6 at The Diamond on Tuesday afternoon, executing clutch defensive plays while receiving seven of its 10 hits from its one-through-four batters, though contributions arose from throughout the lineup.
With their second win over the Rams (22-18) this season and fourth in their last five games, the Hokies (20-19) hoisted themselves over .500 for the first time since March 31.
VCU is a quality win for Tech, ranking No. 114 in RPI as it aims for its fourth Atlantic 10 Championship in the last six years. It currently ranks second in the conference standings, though the team has now dropped four straight after a five-game win streak that concluded with a victory over No. 10 Virginia last week.
Sam Grube, Ethan Ball, Henry Cooke, Hudson Lutterman and Sam Gates combined for Tech’s six doubles — Ball recorded two — while Ethan Gibson took a first-pitch home run into left-center in the second inning.
Madden Clement was amidst his third straight midweek start by the end of that frame, allowing just one run on a homer to VCU designated hitter Jacob Lee, who finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
Lee’s second RBI came off Clement in the third with a double, which was followed by a game-tying unearned run for the Rams to make it three apiece. First baseman Quinn Maher reached on a fielder’s choice with two on, then Lee came around as Gibson, playing shortstop, threw awry to first.
Gibson accounted for three of the Hokies’ eight runs. One of the others came via a Cooke RBI groundout after Gibson (walk) and Ball (double) reached base in the first inning. VCU starter Fenix DiGiacomo also surrendered a Willie Hurt single between plunking Lutterman and Nick Locurto — the latter of whom forced in the 2-0 run (Ball).
Gates, Ball and Grube added runs off RBI doubles, and a Cooke RBI single also scored Grube.
The game hit a reset point tied at three through as many frames. Aiden Robertson replaced Clement to grab the final out of the third inning before neither team scored across the next two. The Rams got awfully close in the fourth after putting runners on the corners with two outs, though.
Robertson missed a 1-2 fastball and took a knee, dodging Cooke’s throw to second as the runners went for a double steal. But Cooke, catching again after missing Sunday’s game with injury, was only faking that throw. He got the ball back to Robertson, who tossed it right back to tag the runner at home and end the inning, saving a go-ahead run.
Tech struck for the first time in four innings in the sixth, starting with consecutive doubles by Grube and Gates to go up 4-3, followed by Gibson and Ball walking. With the bases loaded and Rams righty Caleb Clover laboring, Cooke knocked a ground-ball single through the right side of the infield, plating Grube to put the Hokies ahead 5-3.
Lutterman’s subsequent sacrifice fly had a chance to add more than just a sixth run, but VCU right fielder Trent Adelman made a falling stop to keep the game in reach for the Rams.
Robertson gave up a two-run homer to Teige Lethert in the bottom half, just after retiring four of his last five batters. The tying run threatened at first as Robertson hit Ethan Acevedo later that inning, but Tech’s defense — namely Cooke — ended another inning by catching the runner attempting to steal second.
The homer was Robertson’s only blemish. His day concluded as he retired the top of the Rams’ order in four batters in the seventh. The righty registered his first win of the season after 4 ⅓ two-run innings highlighted by a season-high six strikeouts and just one walk.
Brody Roe pitched the final two innings and earned a save, but not before Ball and Cooke picked up consecutive RBI doubles in the top of the eighth, giving the lefty a three-run cushion at 8-5. Roe needed just three batters to exit the eighth, courtesy of Lethert grounding into 4-6-3 double play.
The ninth, on the other hand, was a touch dicier. Roe picked up consecutive strikeouts before surrendering a single to shortstop Dante DeFranco, who stole second as Cooke made an errant throw to the base. Center fielder Michael Petite followed with an RBI single to put the tying run at the plate, but Lee fouled out to give the Hokies the game.
The Hokies’ win in Richmond marked their only road game between a homestand that began April 14 and runs through May 1 at Cal. Winners of two straight and four of their last five, they return to English Field this weekend for a series against NC State.
The Wolfpack (26-14, 9-9 ACC) is eighth in the ACC, one spot above Tech. Game 1 of the high-stakes three-game set — the Hokies can’t afford to drop the series if they hope to make a run for the NCAAs — begins Friday at 6 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.
Box Score: Virginia Tech 8, VCU 6