Virginia Tech stages wild ninth inning comeback to sweep No. 16 Deacs

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Riding the waves of Sunday’s dramatic and eventful ninth inning, the Virginia Tech baseball team came roaring back from 3-2 down against No. 16 Wake Forest to prevail, 6-5, at David F. Couch Ballpark, completing the program’s first multi-game sweep of a D1Baseball ranked opponent since March 2021 (No. 15 Pitt).

After falling behind for the first time all weekend during the seventh inning, Virginia Tech (20-8, 7-5 ACC) arrived at the ninth inning needing to produce the game-tying run from the bottom half of its lineup. Pinch hitting as the favorable right-handed batter against lefty Zach Johnston, Ethan Gibson put the gears in motion for the Hokies’ four-run rally that ensued, driving a leadoff double into the gap in left center field.

Behind Gibson, rookie third baseman Hudson Lutterman followed by smacking Johnston’s 1-0 delivery down the left field line for the game-tying, RBI double, taking second base when Cam Nelson’s incoming throw bounced away from catcher Jacob Burley. The error proved costly during the short run as David Lewis worked six pitches off Johnston prior to directing the seventh up the middle for the go-ahead RBI single.