Hokies are now 5-0 and moving on up in the polls.
The Virginia Tech Hokies opened the softball season at the Gamecock Invitational with five consecutive wins, including a pair of upset wins over No. 14 South Carolina, the host of the event.
After going 3-0 over the first two days, the Hokies completed a sweep on Saturday, first defeating Binghamton 11-3 in six innings. After going scoreless over the first two innings, Binghamton jumped ahead of Tech, scoring three runs in the top of the third inning. Avery Layton, who pitched a complete-game shutout in her first career start against Winthrop, lasted only three innings in this game, allowing three runs on five hits, but did strike out five.
In the bottom of the fourth, Virginia Tech’s offense finally got going. Nora Abrovamage hit a two-run home run to trim the deficit to 3-2, followed by RBI hits from Addison Foster and Zoe Yaeger to give the Hokies a 4-3 lead. They’d never look back. Annika Rohs and Foster drove in runs in the fifth inning, extending VT’s lead to 6-3. The Hokies would add five more in the bottom of the sixth to give them a run-rule win. Bree Carrico relieved Layton, pitching three scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, while striking out two to earn the win.
Abrovamage would hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the victory.
In the second game, the Gamecocks jumped on the Hokies early, taking a 4-0 lead against Sophie Kleiman after two innings. However, Virginia Tech got rolling at the top of the third, plating five runs to take the lead. It began when Yaeger and Michelle Chatfield hit back-to-back home runs before Emma Mazzarone’s two-run single gave VT a 5-4 lead. Foster would drive in two more runs in the top of the fifth, and Carolina would respond with one run, making it 7-5. However, Rohs followed with an RBI double to give Virginia Tech the run back.
Mazzarone pitched four innings in relief, allowing two hits, walking five, and striking out three to pick up the win. Carrico came in and was outstanding again, striking out five in 1.2 innings to earn the save.
On Monday, the Hokies’ impressive start moved them up to No. 16 in the country, according to Softball America.
Next up for the Hokies is a trip to Charlotte for the Queen City Classic, where they’ll face Villanova and Michigan State on Friday, Villanova and Charlotte on Saturday, and Michigan State again on Sunday.
Category: General Sports
