Hokies open the season 3-0.
It’s hard to believe, by looking outside, that it’s baseball and softball season. The East Coast has been pounded by winter weather and record-breaking cold over the past three weeks, but that hasn’t stopped the No. 21 Virginia Tech Hokies’ softball team.
The Hokies opened the season on Thursday against the No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C. For a while, it looked like the Gamecocks would stroll to a season-opening win, but the Lady Hokies exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead. Sophomore pitcher Bree Carrico shut down USC over the final two innings to preserve Tech’s upset road win. Carrico pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three.
Junior Emma Mazzarone started the game for Virginia Tech, pitching four solid innings, striking out five, allowing only two hits and one run. Freshman Addyson Fisher bridged the gap between Mazzarone and Carrico, pitching one inning, allowing three runs (2 earned) and earned her first career win.
Mazzarone also drove in two runs, as did senior Kylie Aldridge and freshman second baseman Gaby Mizelle. Aldridge hit Virginia Tech’s only home run.
The ladies didn’t have long to celebrate as they were back in action on Friday in Columbia in the Gamecock Invitational, playing in a doubleheader against Winthrop and Binghamton.
Tech opened the day with a 4-1 win over Binghamton. Junior Addison Fisher hit a leadoff home run to give the Hokies a 1-0 lead. After Binghamton scored a run in the bottom of the first, Mazzarone put Tech back on top with a solo homer in the fourth inning. Junior catcher Zoe Yaeger blasted a two-run double to make it 4-1. Senior pitcher Sophie Kleiman allowed one run across four innings to earn the win, while Carrico pitched three innings of scoreless relief.
In the second game, Virginia Tech didn’t do much offensively, but didn’t need to, as freshman Avery Layton tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits, walking only one batter, and striking out nine in VT’s 1-0 win. Junior Michelle Chatfield had two hits for the Hokies, and sophomore Nora Abromavage drove in Tech’s only run.
The Hokies open the season 3-0 and remain in Columbia on Saturday for a rematch against Binghamton to finish up the Gamecock Invitational.
Category: General Sports
