Virginia Tech Softball Sweeps ACC Series from Syracuse in Blacksburg

By: Chip Grubb |
Kelsey Bennett (left) and Bre Peck (right) swept Syracuse over the weekend. (Virginia Tech sports photography)

The No. 6 Virginia Tech softball team (18-3, 6-0 ACC) seems to enjoy playing in the friendly confines of Tech Softball Park.

Two days after shellacking East Tennessee State 18-2, the Hokies welcomed ACC foe Syracuse to Blacksburg and proceeded to sweep the Orange by scores of 13-1 (5 inning, run-rule), 8-1 and 6-1.

Just like it has all season, the Hokie pitching staff dominated the weekend.

Keely Rochard (9-2), Ivy Rosenberry, and Emma Lemley (7-1) threw 19 innings against the ‘Cuse and struck out 43 batters while  limiting the Orange to 10 hits, three runs, and four walks.  In the two seven-innings contests, Lemley struck out 16 on Friday and Rochard followed with 17 on Sunday. A Syracuse team that arrived in Blacksburg hitting .336 went 10 for 67 (.149) in the 3 game set.

Rochard’s 17 strikeouts on Sunday moved her into second place on VT all-time strikeout list.

“We played well this weekend,” Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour said after the series sweep. “I’m not sure what to say about our pitching right now other than I’m thankful they’re on our side. Our defense played well, we made the plays we needed to. Sometimes it’s hard to stay ready on defense when there are so many strikeouts.”

The Hokies only made a single error this weekend.

“Our offense continues to put up professional at bats,” D’Amour continued. “One thing I’m really trying to stress is being patient enough to hit our own pitch with less than two strikes. Hitting is tough. It’s a little easier when you swing at pitches you can handle.”

The Hokie hitters certainly seemed to find pitches they could handle this weekend, scoring 27 runs and batting .400 (30-of-75) for the series. Tech blasted six home runs against Syracuse, including two by senior catcher Mackenzie Lawter. The first one was this monster shot off the scoreboard Friday night.

Freshman Bre Peck had a weekend to remember, going 7-for-9 during the series, scoring six runs and driving in six more. She blasted two home runs of her own, including this Sunday rocket into the top of the pine trees in centerfield.

“Bre is as physically gifted as anyone in the country,” D’Amour said. “She’s starting to believe that she belongs at this level and that’s a very good thing for us.”

Junior Jayme Bailey is getting back to her old self, going 4-for-7 and scoring four runs.

The Hokies’ batting average is now .309 and they have seven regulars hitting over .300.

After a winter storm passed through the area on Saturday, the Sunday finale was in doubt, but was able to be played thanks to the effort of the Virginia Tech ground crew ‒ an effort that D’Amour appreciated. 

“I’d like to thank our grounds crew for getting our field ready today. They do a great job and answered the call once again today. We wouldn’t have played without their efforts.”

Next up for the Hokies is another home series next weekend against the North Carolina Tar Heels. TSL will have a preview later this week.

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  2. Man, they hit the heck out of that ball on those two home runs. There are home runs, and there are HOME RUNS.

      1. Very little.

        Tincher was 38-10 her senior year when she led us to the College World Series. In 7 of those 10 losses, VT failed to score a single run and in 2 more, the Hokies scored just one.

        Here are her 10 losses that year:

        2/10 #21 Missouri, 2-0
        3/1 #8 Arizona 4-3 (12 innings)
        3/7 #2 UCLA 1-0
        3/8 Notre Dame 2-1
        4/19 FSU 2-0
        4/27 UNC 2-0

        REGIONALS
        5/18 #14 Tenn 7-1

        SUPER REGIONALS
        5/29 #6 Michigan 1-0

        WORLD SERIES
        #4 Texas A&M 1-0
        #1 Florida 2-0 (9 innings) – the game was tied 0-0 with VT batting in the bottom of the 7th when Erin Ota lead off the inning and reached 3rd on an error by the Florida center fielder. Florida walked the bases full with no outs, but VT failed to score

        1. It’s a crying shame that team couldn’t spell O-F-F-E-N-C-E, much less play it.

          Just think what that team could have done with this teams offense.

    2. Tincher has just stoopid numbers. The more we see great pitchers like Rochard, the more atmospheric Tincher’s numbers truly become. Simply amazing. I suspect we’ll see Lemley’s name in lights before it’s all said and done too.

    3. Same thought here. I’d been wondering how Rochard compared with Tincher, but that chart… wow.

    4. I agree. She won’t catch Tincher and I doubt anyone will ever match those strike out numbers.

  4. Thanks as always Chip. Nice recap. As for the early season “Bad Hitting”? I always figured that had more to do with facing REALLY good pitching in those early games moreso than the VT hitters being worse than last year. Once we started to see some good, but not GREAT, opposing pitchers, they’ve come around.

    1. That’s a fair point, but I credit Coach D’Amour for moving to the dugout during out at bats instead of the third base coaching box.

      From my Clemson recap: “As the hitting coach, I feel like I can make more of an impact in the dugout,“ D’Amour said. “I can talk approach and give hitters cues that are specific to them without having to shout from the coaching box. The hitting coach should be with their hitters during the game. In addition, we have a lot of pinch hitting and running options on the team and it’s a little easier to manage that in the dugout.

      By the way, VT is hitting .375 since he made the switch.

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