CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – No. 1 seed Georgia Tech belted six home runs to power past No. 8 seed Virginia, 16-10, in the first of two quarterfinal games Thursday at the 2026 ACC Baseball Championship at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers combined for 26 runs on 28 hits, including nine home runs.
Georgia Tech had two players hit two home runs apiece in the win, as leadoff hitter Carson Kerce (3-for-5, 2 HR, BB, 4 RBIs, 2 runs) and catcher Vahn Lackey (2-for-4, 2 HR, BB, 3 RBIs, 3 runs) each went deep twice. Kyle Schmidt (3-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) also homered and drove in three runs, while Parker Brosius (1-for-5, grand slam, HBP, 5 RBIs, run) posted a game-high five RBIs.
Virginia also produced double-digit runs and hits, powered by home runs from Joe Tiroly (3-for-4, HR, BB, 3 RBIs, run), Antonio Perrotta (3-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs, run) and Harrison Didawick (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 runs).
Georgia Tech right-hander Mason Patel (4-0) earned the win in relief after entering in the sixth inning. Patel allowed four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out over 3.0 innings of work.
After both teams stranded runners in the opening two innings, Georgia Tech struck first in the bottom of the third on a solo home run from Kerce.
Virginia answered in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer by Perrotta to take a 2-1 lead.
The Cavaliers’ advantage was short-lived, however, as Georgia Tech tied the game on a bases-loaded groundout before Kerce delivered a two-run single through the left side to put the Yellow Jackets back in front, 4-2.
The back-and-forth continued in the fifth inning. Tiroly launched a two-run homer to left field to even the score at 4-4, and two batters later, Didawick followed with a two-run shot to center to give Virginia a 6-4 lead midway through the contest.
The home run barrage continued in the bottom half of the inning when 2026 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Lackey blasted a solo homer to left center, trimming the Cavaliers’ lead to 6-5 heading into the sixth.
Virginia added to its lead with a sacrifice fly from Sam Harris in the sixth inning before extending the margin to 9-5 in the seventh on an RBI double from Eric Becker and a bases-loaded walk.
Georgia Tech responded with a decisive rally in the bottom of the seventh, showcasing one of the nation’s most explosive offenses. The Yellow Jackets collected five hits in the inning, including an RBI single from Kent Schmidt, a grand slam by Brosius and Kerce’s second solo homer of the game, erupting for seven runs to surge ahead, 12-9, with two innings remaining.
Following a sacrifice fly by Zach Johnson in the top of the eighth, Georgia Tech answered again in the bottom half with Lackey’s second home run of the game, a two-run blast to center field that pushed the score to 14-10.
Two batters later, Schmidt added another two-run homer to cap the scoring and seal the Yellow Jackets’ 16-10 victory.