Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Pitted in a back-and-forth ACC affair on Saturday, the Virginia Tech baseball team needed one more gear to outlast No. 16 Louisville as the Hokies played to the 12-8 defeat against the Cardinals at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
Virginia Tech (15-8, 3-5 ACC) rallied from 5-2 down to take the 7-5 lead during the bottom of the sixth inning, loading the bases behind leadoff singles by Henry Cooke and Hudson Lutterman. With ducks on the pond, junior first baseman Garrett Michel – who grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded on Friday – answered the bell and rocketed the go-ahead, two-RBI double down the left field line, providing the Hokies with their first lead of the ballgame.
Michel led Virginia Tech with three hits and four RBIs, hammering a two-run home run during the bottom of the second inning for his first round-trip blast of the season. Sam Tackett and Jared Davis also delivered home run swings for the Hokies; Tackett’s marked his third of the series (10th of the season) and pulled the score within 5-4 while Davis led off the fifth inning with his solo homer that tied the game at 5-5.
Despite Michel cashing in the go-ahead runs for Virginia Tech, Louisville (18-4, 3-2 ACC) was able to dodge major trouble, denying the Hokies another run during the inning. Ethan Eberle pitched the Cardinals out of the jam, letting his defense field two infield outs before bouncing back from a 2-0 count to fan Tackett with the bases juiced.
Louisville crept within 7-6 of Virginia Tech during the top of the seventh inning as Jake Munroe hit a leadoff home run to left field off Grant Manning, who departed with two runners on base. Walks by three distinct Hokies relievers (including two with the bases loaded) opened the door for the Cardinals to plate three more runs and stretch with the 9-7 advantage.
Virginia Tech received the shortest start of the season from freshman Jake Marciano, who lasted two and one-third innings, allowing five runs on nine hits (both season highs). In total, the Hokies threw nine pitchers at Louisville on Saturday (season high), five of whom entered from the seventh inning onward.
Alex Alicea’s leadoff single during the top of the ninth inning prompted another big inning by the Cardinals, who plated three runs to open the 12-7 lead. Virginia Tech stranded six runners through its final three offensive innings, earning an RBI double by Lutterman during the bottom of the ninth inning.
Saturday’s game lasted four hours and 42 minutes, marking Virginia Tech’s longest nine-inning game since May 14, 2016 (20-13 win against Wake Forest).