The Virginia Tech baseball team defeated Pitt 11-6 on April 17, powered by a nine-run fourth inning at English Field.
The victory marks an important moment for Virginia Tech (18-18, 8-11 ACC), as the team produced its most productive offensive inning of the season. The Hokies brought 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, surpassing their previous best scoring frame of seven runs against Radford earlier in the week.
Nick Locurto started the big inning with an RBI double, leading to six consecutive hits by Hokies players and three more reaching base via walks. This offensive surge gave Virginia Tech a commanding 11-1 lead before the game’s halfway point. Junior first baseman Ethan Gibson led his team by going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs during this decisive stretch. Gibson’s two-RBI single capped off scoring for Virginia Tech in that inning.
Pitt (23-13, 6-10 ACC) made pitching changes during the fourth but could not slow down Virginia Tech’s momentum. Starter Antonio Doganieo was replaced after loading the bases, but reliever David Leslie also struggled as Pete Daniel and Ethan Ball each contributed two-RBI hits to extend the lead further.
Brett Renfrow earned his second quality start of the season for Virginia Tech, allowing only two runs on three hits across six innings while striking out nine batters. Sam Grube opened scoring with a solo home run estimated at 448 feet, while Owen Petrich continued his streak with a fifth consecutive game recording a double.
Though Pitt narrowed the gap late in the game—scoring multiple runs in both eighth and ninth innings—reliever Luke Craytor secured his second save of the season by closing out a bases-loaded situation with just three pitches.
Virginia Tech will aim to clinch its series against Pitt on Saturday, April 18 at English Field.
