deleo delivers as no. 17 virginia tech's bullpen falters once again

Sam Alves

April 18, 2021

BLACKSBURG — It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the difference between No. 17 Virginia Tech’s one win and two defeats this weekend in a clash of the nation’s top engineering schools.

The Hokies (20-12, 15-10 ACC) lost 11-4 in game three of their series against Georgia Tech (17-14, 14-10 ACC), as the rubber-match decision went the Yellow Jackets’ way on Sunday. They lost, though, in familiar fashion.

Seven relievers followed Shane Connolly, who started in place of injured Chris Gerard, together allowing eight runs over the final three innings.

“We’re [trying to] go matchups,” head coach John Szefc said of his bullpen philosophy postgame. “It works when guys come in and they’re actually able to execute something, and that clearly didn’t happen.”

Friday was a similar story. Starting pitcher Peyton Alford worked five innings of three-run ball. Matthew Siverling and seven teammates then took the mound, and together, they allowed 11 earned runs over four frames — with an extra unearned run mixed in as well — in an 15-11 loss.

“Obviously, our bullpen really didn’t perform very well at all this weekend,” Szefc said bluntly. “Simonelli was really good. I thought our starters did a pretty good job. When you’re down one of your best players in Gerard, everyone’s gotta do more. We weren’t able to do that today, for sure.”

In between losses, Anthony Simonelli graced English Field with his usual swagger and recorded six shutout innings Saturday. The Hokies rode Graham Firoved the final three innings, blanking Georgia Tech 7-0.

“[The pitching staff] struggled a little bit this weekend, but hey, there’s always next weekend, and before that we were doing really well,” Simonelli said. “It hurts losing Chris because he’s probably the best pitcher on the team, but at the end of the day, we still have 12 or 13 other guys that step in and fill his void.”

Twelve pitchers did, in fact, play this weekend in front of a Blacksburg crowd.

On Sunday, that crowd also witnessed the performance of Jake DeLeo, whose 5-for-5, three-RBI, two-run outing paced the Yellow Jackets offensively.

He opened the scoring in the third with a solo home run pulled to left.

But the Hokies would answer right back with a pair of RBI singles from Gavin Cross and TJ Rumfield the next frame.

Virginia Tech then extended its 2-1 lead in the fifth after Georgia Tech starter Dalton Smith left after plunking leadoff-hitting Jack Hurley to start the frame.

Righty Zach Maxwell entered with a runner on and no one out. The Hokies would load the bases with two outs, bringing true freshman Tanner Schobel up. He chopped a pitch just inside the third base bag, but still within the infield.

Gavin Cross rushed over from second to third to beat the force out, so third baseman Justyn-Henry Malloy was forced to throw to first for the out. He proved himself capable in the second with a spinning pick on the hot corner, but his throw this time was errant. Schobel would have still beaten a clean throw to score Hurley from third, but the misfire allowed Cross to score as well.

After Tanner Thomas flied out to end the inning, the Hokies led 4-1, but they would be done for the day offensively thanks to six-foot-six, 280 pound Maxwell and his 99 mile-per-hour fastball.

“You gotta be a man to play in this league,” said Szefc.

Maxwell might be exhibit A.

He struck out the side swinging in the sixth, and in the seventh, he fanned three more with a two-out walk thrown in just to give the Hokies a chance.

Right-hander Marquis Grissom, Jr. — with only a 93 mile-per-hour heater to his name — recorded the last six outs for the Yellow Jackets, allowing only a walk in the eighth and a two-out single in the ninth.

“I give [Georgia Tech] credit,” Szefc said of his opponent, one that was ranked sixth-best in the country just three weeks ago. “They’re good. They’ve always been good. They stuck it to us pretty good on Friday and today.”