No. 8 Virginia Tech Softball Splits Day One In Clearwater

As the traveling fans from southwest Virginia and central Oklahoma sat on the edge of their seats with bated breath, they knew the implications of this at-bat. As Virginia Tech third baseman Kelsey Bennett stood at the plate, Oklahoma State was an out away from securing the narrowest of victories.

Cowgirls pitcher Kyra Aycock glanced over at her left arm as Bennett dug into her stance. Aycock rocked back and flung the ball over the plate.

CRACK.

Bennett tattooed the ball, leaving no doubt that it would sail over the left field fence and tie the ball game. It was the final touch on a game that demonstrated the tremendous fight that the Hokies had, battling from down six runs until the last out.

On a day where the long ball was the Hokies’ (6-1) friend, No. 8 Virginia Tech put up a strong opening performance on day one of the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational.

While Bennett’s game-tying home run was not enough in the opening matchup against No. 5 Oklahoma State (6-1), falling 10-9 off a walk-off double, the Hokies were able to bounce back, outlasting Nebraska (4-4) 6-4 in a back-and-forth showdown.

To start the weekend, Tech head coach Pete D’Amour made a deafening statement, trusting his freshman pitcher Lyndsey Grein (2-0) in the circle against a top-five opponent. With Kylie Aldridge behind the plate and Teagan Thrunk at shortstop, the freshmen were thrust into pivotal roles early.

Eager to strike first, D’Amour made an unlikely substitution, calling upon Madison Hanson to pinch hit in the second inning. In her fourth season, Hanson is typically summoned off the bench if the coaches believe she’s favored in a particular matchup. However, she’s not known for power, collecting just two extra-base hits in 39 at-bats.

Which is why it made it all the more special when…

TO THE MOON 🚀@madisonhanson_ with the pinch-hit home run ‼️ pic.twitter.com/j6unmkj5pR

— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) February 17, 2023

The Hokies’ dugout erupted as Hanson hit her first career homer to put Virginia Tech up first. And it wasn’t just the Tech players and fans in Clearwater showing their support, but other members of the Hokie family chimed in on Twitter.

Madison’s husband, Jesse Hanson, a current offensive guard for the Tech football team, was elated to hear about his wife’s big play.

WHATS BETTER THAN A BIG SQUAT FRIDAY INTERRUPTED BY YOUR WIFE’S HOMERUN!?!?!?!? https://t.co/s3TXn98ZCE

— Jesse Hanson (@jessehanson72) February 17, 2023

It wasn’t just current Tech athletes either. Hokie softball alums Cana Davis and Alexa Milius cheered on their former teammate.

YES MA’AM MRS. HANSON @madisonhanson_ ! https://t.co/TCGjKvx5PA

— Cana Davis (@DavisCana12) February 17, 2023

fire me all the way up, you’re so good!!! i’m so proud, crying in starbucks rn 🥹 @madisonhanson_ https://t.co/pVuujR729J

— alexa (@Alexa_Milius) February 17, 2023

However, despite offensive success, there were definitely some growing pains.

Against a potent Cowgirl lineup, Grein left too many hittable balls over the plate. She only let up four hits through three innings but allowed three runs off two homers. Despite this, she was positioned nicely, until the fourth.

A nightmarish inning saw Oklahoma State rack up seven consecutive hits and plate six runs before Tech could even record an out. Aldridge and Grein also miscommunicated on a routine popup that could have further limited the damage. While D’Amour let Grein finish out the inning, he had seen enough, and closed the game out with Molly Jacobson.

Trailing by six, the Hokies aimed for the light towers, and homers by Jayme Bailey, Bre Peck and Bennett across three innings brought Tech all the way back to even it up at nine. Jacobson also did her share of the work, allowing just two hits in two innings.

However, after a lead-off single from Chyenne Factor, Oklahoma State saw a weakness it hoped to exploit with pinch hitter Katie Lott, and it did just that. Jacobson gave Lott a slower pitch over the heart of the plate that she clubbed into right center for the winning run.

It was a deflating loss for the Hokies, given the rollercoaster of emotions throughout the course of the game, but the team regrouped quickly and reset for the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska came into the game against Virginia Tech having already played two top-10 teams in Oklahoma State and UCLA. The Cornhuskers were outscored 18-0 in those contests and recorded just three hits in back-to-back run-rule defeats.

Against Lemley (3-0), it was feared they might suffer a similar fate. However, Lemley looked surprisingly mortal. Although the offense was strong — every single starter got on base and home runs continued to flow — the ace gave up as many combined hits as Nebraska’s tandem of Courtney Wallace and Kaylin Kinney.

Every time it appeared the Hokies would pull away, including a 4-1 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth, Nebraska continued to hang tight, going yard themselves and tying the game at four.

Though Lemley struggled, she was able to put the clamps on when it mattered most. After Bennett hit the go-ahead home run in the fifth, Lemley began dealing, sitting batters down left and right. Hanson’s insurance homer in the seventh, her second of the day, gave Lemley a cushion, which she used to full effect, completing the game and securing the 6-4 victory.

“One of the hallmarks of our program has been having a ‘never quit’ attitude at all times,” D’Amour told Tech Sideline after an exhausting day. “We went toe to toe against a top-five team in the country and were able to regroup to beat a really good Nebraska team. We’re just a tough bunch. I’m proud of how they rebounded. We’ll rest up and go again tomorrow.”

The Hokies will certainly need to maintain that determination as they face No. 2 UCLA at 4 p.m. followed by No. 15 Arizona at 7 p.m. on a measuring-stick day for a team with many young pieces.

Box Score: No. 5 Oklahoma State 10, No. 8 Virginia Tech 9

Box Score: No. 8 Virginia Tech 6, Nebraska 4