Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Staging its best offensive inning of the 2026 season on Friday night, the Virginia Tech baseball team spun its merry-go-round to the tune of nine runs during the bottom of the fourth inning as the Hokies batted big during their 11-6, series-opening victory against Pitt at English Field.
Virginia Tech (18-18, 8-11 ACC) brought 14 batters to the plate during its nine-run fourth inning, eclipsing Tuesday’s seven-run frame against Radford as the best scoring inning the team has produced this season. Nick Locurto’s one-out, RBI double into the left field corner prompted a string of six consecutive Hokies recording hits followed by three more reaching base via walks as the home team built the sizable, 11-1 advantage before the game’s halfway point.
Junior first baseman Ethan Gibson went 3-for-4 to lead Virginia Tech, chalking two hits and all three of his RBIs (team high) during the Hokies’ runaway inning. Gibson followed Locurto’s double with a clean base hit through the left side of the infield and returned for a second at-bat with the bases loaded, cracking the two-RBI single into left field that capped the home scoring for the night.
After Gibson’s first hit of the fourth inning had put Virginia Tech ahead, 4-1, Owen Petrich and Sam Gates both singled, loading the bases and marking the end of the road for the Panthers’ starter, Antonio Doganieo. With Pitt (23-13, 6-10 ACC) switching sides and opting for right-hander David Leslie out of the bullpen, Pete Daniel worked a full count before plating a pair with his two-RBI single, scoring easily from first base on Ethan Ball’s ensuing two-RBI double hit to center field.
Walks issued to Henry Cooke, Hudson Lutterman and Sam Grube by Leslie – the only three walks allowed by the Panthers – quietly extended the fourth inning for Virginia Tech, which used a wild pitch in between to take the 9-1 lead. Two batters later, Gibson connected on the Hokies’ eighth hit of the inning, providing plenty of cushion to back starter Brett Renfrow’s win.
Locking down for his second quality start of the 2026 season, Renfrow allowed two runs on three hits through six innings of work, dealing nine strikeouts while walking two batters. Renfrow began his evening with three scoreless innings, scattered two hits during the fourth inning before Joey Baran’s RBI groundout and surrendered a leadoff home run to Caden Dulin during the sixth inning.
Sam Grube opened the scoring for Virginia Tech during the bottom of the second inning, teeing off on a solo homer to center field (estimated at 448 feet). Two batters later, Gibson bunted for a fashionable single up the third base line, taking 90 feet on a wild pitch and scoring on a two-base hit by Petrich – signifying the fifth-year’s fifth consecutive game with a double.
Virginia Tech carried its 11-2 lead into the eighth inning, though invited Pitt back into the ballgame with a handful of late-game scoring. Trey Fenderson’s RBI triple off Preston Crowl during the eighth inning proved ominous as each of the Panthers’ first three batters of the ninth inning reached base against Josh Berzonski.
With Brendan Yagesh in and a run already home, Dulin singled the bases loaded for Pitt, which scored two more runs on free passes by the left-hander. Entrusting Luke Craytor with the bases loaded, the right-hander picked up the final out on three pitches, etching his second save of the season.
UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will play to win its series against Pitt on Saturday, April 18, at English Field. First pitch between the Hokies and the Panthers is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
REMAINING SERIES PROBABLE STARTERS
• Saturday (April 18): TBA vs. TBA
• Sunday (April 19): TBA vs. TBA