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Virginia Tech Drops 2-1 Series to Stanford
Hokies struggle with injuries as elite bullpen arms can't carry the team to victory
Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:09am
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Virginia Tech's bullpen struggles and offensive resurgence are captured in a cubist-inspired illustration of the team's recent series loss against Stanford.Blacksburg TodayThe Virginia Tech baseball team dropped a 2-1 home series against Stanford over the weekend, despite strong performances from their top bullpen arms Preston Crowl and Chase Swift. The Hokies are now 13-13 on the season as they deal with key injuries, but have seen their offense turn a corner with contributions from Henry Cooke, Pete Daniel, Ethan Gibson, and Hudson Lutterman.
Why it matters
As Virginia Tech looks to make a push in ACC play, this series loss to a tough Stanford squad highlights the Hokies' need to get healthy, especially in the bullpen, while also building on their recent offensive resurgence.
The details
The Hokies entered the weekend riding high after a 2-1 series win over Duke, but couldn't carry that momentum against Stanford. Virginia Tech is missing key bullpen arms Madden Clement and Jacob Exum, while Peyton Smith and Josh Berzonski have also been sidelined with injuries. This forced the Hokies to lean heavily on Crowl and Swift, who combined for 7 innings with just 1 earned run allowed. However, the lack of depth in the bullpen caught up to them in the rubber match. On the offensive side, the Hokies have turned a corner, scoring 6+ runs in 7 of their last 8 games thanks to breakout performances from Cooke, Daniel, Gibson, and Lutterman.
- The Hokies entered the weekend after a 2-1 series win over Duke.
- The series loss to Stanford dropped Virginia Tech's record to 13-13 on the season.
The players
Preston Crowl
A key bullpen arm for the Hokies who combined with Chase Swift to provide strong relief pitching over the weekend.
Chase Swift
Another elite bullpen arm for Virginia Tech who teamed up with Preston Crowl to keep the Hokies in the series against Stanford.
Henry Cooke
A Virginia Tech hitter who has been on a hot streak, batting over .310 in conference play to help spark the Hokies' offense.
Pete Daniel
Another Virginia Tech batter who has stepped up offensively, also hitting over .310 in ACC competition.
Ethan Gibson
A Hokies hitter who has made a big jump, batting .296 with a .593 slugging percentage to provide a boost in the middle of the order.
What they’re saying
“Smith has something he's working with, and Berzonski got an MRI... he's kinda getting evaluated too.”
— John Szefc, Virginia Tech Head Coach
What’s next
The Hokies will look to get healthy and build on their recent offensive success as they continue ACC play, with key conference matchups on the horizon.
The takeaway
This series loss highlights the challenges Virginia Tech faces in maintaining a healthy roster, especially in the bullpen, but also showcases the team's potential if they can get key contributors back and sustain their recent offensive surge.
