No. 14 Virginia Falls in Series Finale to Virginia Tech, 6-3

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 14 Virginia baseball team (16-4, 4-2 ACC) had its 18-game home win streak snapped in a 6-3 contest by the Virginia Tech Hokies (9-9, 2-4 ACC) on Sunday (March 15) at Dishroon Park.  

 

To salvage the weekend, Virginia Tech plated a trio of runs in the fourth and fifth innings while holding the Virginia bats to just five hits on the day.

 

UVA’s John Paone was tagged with the loss after allowing five earned runs in four innings of work. Eric Becker and Antonio Perrotta each homered on the day to lead the Cavalier offense.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Over the first three innings of his outing, Paone fanned four Hokies and only surrendered a two-out double in the second.
• Virginia Tech struck first in the top of the fourth with a three-run home run off the bat of Hudson Lutterman.
• The visitors tacked on three more runs an inning later with an RBI double and ground out before the Hokies’ final run of the afternoon scampered home on a wild pitch.
• In the home half of the fifth, Becker got UVA on the board with a solo shot that landed just beyond the Virginia bullpen in right field. The homer was Becker’s third of the year and first since Feb. 27 against VCU.
• With one out in the seventh, Kyle Johnson tripled down the line in right field to bring Perrotta to the plate. As a pinch hitter, Perrotta took the first pitch he saw off the 2015 National Championship sign hanging above the Virginia bullpen. Perrotta’s first blast of the work brought the Cavaliers to within three at 6-3 after seven innings played.
• Out of the bullpen, the Virginia relief duo of Jayden Stroman and Tyler Kapa tossed a scoreless inning each to keep the Cavaliers within striking distance.
• Virginia Tech’s Preston Crowl struck out all four UVA batters he faced to tally a save and secure the 6-3 series finale win for the Hokies.

 ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Sunday’s loss to Virginia Tech snapped an 18-game home win streak for UVA that dated back to the end of the 2025 season. The streak was the longest in program history since Virginia won a record 23 games at home during the 2022-23 seasons.
• AJ Gracia was held off the base paths for the first time this season with a 0-for-4 day.
• As a team, Virginia has hit 40 home runs in 20 games during the 2026 season. In 2025, Virginia did not hit its 40th home run of the season until game 37.
• Saturday’s series win clinches Virginia a share of the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash. UVA will exit the weekend leading 11-4 with seven sports remaining.

 FROM HEAD COACH CHRIS POLLARD

“I have been doing this for 28 years. You lose a Sunday game and it doesn’t feel great, but there are a lot of positives about this week. We played really well and the job in the ACC is to keep stacking ACC series wins and that is two series wins. I think it was a good week for our club.”

UP NEXT

No. 14 Virginia will close out its homestand on Tuesday (March 17) by hosting the Georgetown Hoyas at Disharoon Park. The contest will be carried on ACCNX and WINA (98.9/1070 AM).