No. 7 Virginia Tech Takes Series Opener of Commonwealth Clash At No. 11 Virginia 5-2

The Hokies held the Cavalier bats in check and took game 1 on Friday night in Charlottesville

Photo courtesy of Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics Communications

Seeking their first series win over the Cavaliers since 2016, the Hokies came to play in game 1. 

Virginia Tech (30-9, 13-7 ACC) held the Virginia (32-11, 13-9 ACC) bats in check and took the series opener of the Commonwealth Clash 5-2 on Friday night at Disharoon Park. 

In a battle of two of the best hitting teams in all of college baseball, it was the pitching that decided this game. Hokie starter Griffin Green went seven innings, yielding just one run to Virginia on seven hits. Green profited from a few great defensive plays behind him, including a leaping grab by second basemen Eduardo Malinowski on a line drive by Ethan Anderson that would have scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning. 

Nate Savino was also solid on the mound for Virginia, with the exception of some trouble in the top of the third inning. Carson DeMartini took a 2-2 pitch from Savino deep to right center field for a home run. Savino then surrendered a pair of walks and then an RBI single to Jack Hurley. 

UVA got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Chris Newell and Ethan Anderson delivered back-to-back singles and then Casey Saucke brought in Newell on an RBI single. Virginia had a golden opportunity to take the lead with runners on the corners with no outs. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, Max Cotier got great contact on a ball and lined it directly to Virginia Tech shortstop Tanner Schobel, who easily doubled up Ethan Anderson at third base. Griffin Green then got Griff O'Ferrall to fly out to center field to end the inning and preserve Virginia Tech's 2-1 lead. 

Savino kept the Hokies off the board in the fourth and fifth innings, but put two runners on base in the sixth and was pulled for Jay Woolfolk. Virginia Tech then delivered back-to-back RBI doubles from Conor Hartigan and Lucas Donlon to make it 4-1. 

After scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, the Hokies got another insurance run on a solo shot by Nick Biddison in the top of the ninth. 

Virginia Tech's Graham Firoved, who replaced Green on the mound in the eighth inning, experienced similar success against the Virginia bats, retiring six out of the seven batters he faced. The one exception was Chris Newell, who homered to right field to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Other than that one speed bump, Firoved breezed through the eighth and ninth innings and clinched the 5-2 victory for Virginia Tech in game 1. 

UVA will look to even the series in game 2 on Saturday at 4pm. It will also be Ryan Zimmerman Day at Disharoon Park, with Zimmerman's No. 11 being officially retired in a ceremony before the game. Ryan Zimmerman will also throw out the first pitch.

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