No. 13 Hokies Softball Dominates Georgia Tech Doubleheader

Under pleasant, sunny skies, a backdrop No. 13 Virginia Tech hasn’t been too familiar with this season, the Hokies punched straight through Georgia Tech and won their games comfortably, 7-4 and 8-2.

Those victories were Tech’s first action in exactly a week. It was a week marred by showers up and down the east coast, which forced the Hokies (21-5, 7-1 ACC) to end their last weekend series against UNC with a Saturday doubleheader, canceled a Wednesday clash at App State and forced the originally scheduled Friday game with Georgia Tech (15-11, 2-3 ACC) to be pushed to Saturday.

Despite these challenges, Tech showed no rust, taking care of business on the arms of Emma Lemley (13-1) and Molly Jacobson (2-1).

As the team’s ace, Lemley’s performance to begin a conference series sets the tone for the weekend, and despite Saturday’s losses, Georgia Tech may be encouraged by what it saw.

Lemley had a strong start, conceding just two singles through the first three innings. Her offense, in contrast, got to work right out of the gates.

Tech was able to take advantage of Chandler Dennis’ (9-4) difficulty in finding the strike zone to work three walks in 1⅔ innings. Jayme Bailey and Emma Ritter batted in all three of those runners in with doubles, and Cameron Fagan’s supplemental two-run homer put the Hokies up 5-0 in two innings.

While the Tech bats fell silent over the next three frames, the Yellow Jackets carved into the lead with a solo shot and an RBI single, cutting the lead, 5-2.

However, the Hokies had an immediate response, loading up the bases and plating two off another RBI double from Ritter. Lemley had five runs to work with, and although she surrendered back-to-back dingers, the victory was never in doubt.

While Lemley conceded four runs, three of which were homers, she gave up 11 hits, looking quite hittable today, an occurrence that’s been seemingly more frequent than last season.

Coach D’Amour liked what he saw out of the first game, maintaining the same lineup with Jacobson in the circle. As a natural strike-thrower, she dealt in the circle, letting up just two hits through five innings.

Meanwhile, Blake Neleman (4-4), who had a pair of low-scoring performances the last time these schools faced off in April 2021, suffered the same difficulties as Dennis, struggling to locate the zone.

Though only one of her three walks resulted in a run — the opening one in the top of the third — she left too many hittable pitches in reach of Addy Greene, Bre Peck and Bailey and got punished for it, giving up three home runs. Kinsey Norton entered in relief, but Kelsey Bennett welcomed her by taking her yard to put the Hokies up 5-0.

Just like game one, the Jackets scored two runs in response, this time off a two-RBI single from Sara Beth Allen, which ended Jacobson’s day.

Lemley relieved her and threw four hitless outs to close the door on the Jackets and record her first save of the season. Peck also struck a ball beyond the fence for the second time of the game, scoring three extra runs just for good measure.

After a strong outing by the Hokies, D’Amour was most pleased.

“We earned two good wins today against GT,” D’Amour told Tech Sideline. “Molly has been throwing well of late and she was a good matchup against their hitters. She hit her spots and didn’t give up any walks. Overall, today was a whole team effort. Tomorrow will be a big day for us.”

Tech is back in action on Sunday in Atlanta at 1 p.m. ET on ACC Network Extra.

Box Score: No. 13 Virginia Tech 7, Georgia Tech 4 
Box Score: No. 13 Virginia Tech 8, Georgia Tech 2