Virginia Tech Opens NCAA Regional Against 36-22 Cal Poly as 51-7 UCLA Looms
Updated
Updated · Tech Lunch Pail · May 29
Virginia Tech Opens NCAA Regional Against 36-22 Cal Poly as 51-7 UCLA Looms
10 articles · Updated · Tech Lunch Pail · May 29
No. 2 seed Virginia Tech opens the Los Angeles Regional against Big West champion Cal Poly at 8 p.m. ET Friday, with the winner likely advancing to a Saturday matchup against top overall seed UCLA.
Cal Poly enters at 36-22 after winning back-to-back Big West tournament titles, leaning on late-game pitching — closer Nick Bonn has a program-record 15 saves — and a style built for tight, low-scoring games.
UCLA stands as the bracket’s biggest obstacle at 51-7, with a 3.31 ERA that ranks second nationally and a 28-2 mark in its inaugural Big Ten season; Saint Mary’s also arrives dangerous after winning the WCC tournament as a No. 5 seed.
Virginia Tech faces added difficulty as one of only two regional teams traveling three time zones and the only club in the field without a geographic or crowd edge, making a clean opener critical in a double-elimination bracket.
With top seed UCLA upset, does Virginia Tech now have a realistic path to win the Los Angeles Regional?
After stunning the nation's top team, is Saint Mary’s the new favorite to win the Los Angeles Regional?
Can star pitcher Brett Renfrow rescue the Hokies’ season in a must-win game after their opening-round loss?