Virginia Tech baseball was outscored 27-7 through the first two games of its series with Miami.
The Hurricanes bludgeoned Tech with a barrage of offense, stringing together base hits and crooked numbers while stifling its bats. The Hokies struck a late surge in the final innings on Saturday, but couldn’t quite break through Miami’s dominant play.
On Sunday, however, they did. Miami was held to its third-lowest run total in a game this season as the Hokies defeated the Hurricanes, 6-3, avoiding the sweep at Mark Light Field.
Right-handed pitcher Griffin Stieg started for Tech (15-15, 6-9 ACC), delivering his most effective outing since tossing six innings of one-run, three-hit ball at then-No. 14 Virginia on March 15. Against Miami (24-8, 6-6), the redshirt junior notched his third quality start in his last four outings, a lineup that had thrashed the Hokies’ pitching staff all weekend. Across six innings, the right-hander surrendered two earned runs with three strikeouts and a walk.
Like in the previous two games in the series, the Hokies hit the scoreboard first. With two outs in the top of the second, third baseman Willie Hurt and first baseman Hudson Lutterman knocked consecutive singles to right field, setting up a prime opportunity for shortstop Ethan Gibson to give Tech an early lead.
Gibson, known for his defensive prowess and versatility, has steadily improved at the plate in recent weeks. The junior hit his first two home runs of the season in Tech’s previous series against Stanford and delivered again on Sunday, singling to left field to score Hurt. Sam Gates scored with Gibson’s knock, too, coming around from first on a fielding error by Hurricanes left fielder Dylan Dubovik.
Tech doubled its lead in the third as right fielder Sam Grube and second baseman Ethan Ball unloaded home runs on back-to-back pitches.
However, the Hurricanes — as they did all series — landed a counterpunch. With two outs in the bottom of the second frame, Miami second baseman Jake Ogden singled, setting up an RBI double by third baseman Daniel Cuvet. Ogden finished the series 7-for-13 with six RBI and a walk.
Around that point, Miami starting pitcher AJ Ciscar began to settle in, retiring nine straight Hokies from the fourth to sixth inning. The 2025 All-ACC freshman ended his outing after six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and striking out eight batters — one shy of his season high.
The Hurricanes plated another run in the sixth. First baseman Brylan West laced a double to left-center on a full count with two away, and designated hitter Max Galvin singled to center to bring him home.
Miami threatened again in the eighth as right-hander Preston Crowl took the mound for the Hokies. Catcher Alex Sosa walked and right fielder Derek Williams singled, putting the Hurricanes in business with nobody out. West laid down a bunt to move the runners to second and third.
On a 1-2 count, Galvin lined a ball into right field. Williams took off for third base, anticipating the ball would drop.
Grube had other plans: a diving snag by the Hokies’ right fielder not only saved two runs and Tech’s lead, but ended the inning as he fired to Gibson at second for a double play.
Grube carried that momentum into the top of the ninth, drawing a full-count leadoff walk and stealing second base. Catcher Henry Cooke walked on a full count as well. Then, Lutterman delivered a critical insurance run, hitting an RBI groundout back to Hurricanes pitcher Ryan Bilka to score Grube. Shortly after, Miami turned to left-hander Jack Durso.
Gibson, who drove in the game’s first two runs, also delivered the last on a single to left. Pinch-runner Treyson Hughes scored from second base to give the Hokies a 6-2 lead to protect heading into the bottom of the ninth.
The job wasn’t over, though. Like the Hokies on Saturday, the Hurricanes made things interesting in the final frame. Shortstop Vance Sheahan led off with a single through the left side of the infield, and Dubovik doubled to quickly put two runners in scoring position for Fabio Peralta, who lifted a sacrifice fly to left-center.
Crowl managed to shut the door for the final two outs, earning his fourth save of the season, salvaging the series and snapping Tech’s three-game losing streak in conference play.
Despite being out-hit 11 to seven, the Hokies held Miami to 5-for-20 batting with runners on base and a 2-for-9 mark with them in scoring position. Tech also held an ACC opponent to no home runs for the first time in 14 conference contests.