Hokies Leave No Doubt, Dominate UVa to Clinch Series

After enduring consecutive one-run, extra-inning victories by each squad on Thursday and Friday, Saturday promised a nail-biting conclusion to a thrilling rivalry series. Instead, the No. 13 Hokies eliminated all doubt, leaving Charlottesville with a dominating 7-0 victory to secure the series over Virginia.

Despite a rocky outing on Thursday night in which the Cavaliers (26-12, 7-7 ACC) scored eight runs to make Virginia Tech (31-9, 11-4 ACC) sweat, Emma Lemley (19-3) was the certain choice to close out the series and she showed why she’s one of the best in the nation.

Following a walk that opened her account, along with a fielding error from Teagan Thrunk, who returned to the starting lineup, Lemley escaped from the shaky start with a pair of strikeouts. UVa could only add a single in the second and another fielding error off Thrunk in the third.

“We need to tighten up a little bit on defense,” Tech head coach Pete D’Amour said, speaking on the jump in errors seen out of the middle infielders. “We’ve made routine plays all year. We can’t let an environment dictate how we play.”

Meanwhile, the Hokies were slowly chipping away at Courtney Layne (2-1). After she got the Hokies 1-2-3 in the first inning, they took a hit-by-pitch and a single in the second. Tech saw even more action in the third, with a pair of walks and a bunt, but still couldn’t bring anyone across.

Finally, the visitors got the breakthrough they were looking for in the fourth inning. Addy Greene punched a lead-off single through the right side which Kelsey Bennett followed up with a ground-rule double.

Given Thrunk’s struggles with the bat, D’Amour called on Madison Hanson to bring runners home with two in scoring position and no outs. She did just that, hitting a sacrifice fly into center that allowed Greene to tag up and put the Hokies up first.

Although Emma Jackson couldn’t deliver while pinch hitting for Kylie Aldridge, Kelsey Brown made up for it with a punishing double into the gap in right-center field, scoring Maija Louko, who was pinch running for Bennett.

Cameron Fagan’s single in the next at-bat was all that Brown needed to speed home and bump the score up to three runs in the top of the fourth, 3-0.

Lemley responded in kind with just one single, recording the three outs in quick time. Tech was not satisfied with just three runs, however, starting off the fifth with another walk, this time to Jayme Bailey. After Bennett singled and Thrunk reached on a fielder’s choice, Aldridge hit a towering three-run shot to double the Hokies lead to 6-0.

The next six UVa hitters were retired in order while VT only mustered two singles in the top of the sixth. The Hokies made a tough task even tougher for the Cavaliers following Bennett’s solo homer that pushed the lead to seven.

Even though Abby Weaver was able to draw a hit-by-pitch to kick off the seventh, Lemley was unphased, sitting the next three down without breaking a sweat to secure the win for the Hokies. It was a complete team victory from Tech with just about everyone contributing in some facet.

“[Brown] was as hot as a hitter could be this weekend and at times others were too,” D’Amour told Tech Sideline after the game. “Bennett got some big hits, [Fagan, Bailey and Peck] had a huge first game, [Aldridge]’s homer today, Ritter, [Greene], everyone pitched in. That’s a good sign for us. It may not be your day today, but it could be tomorrow.”

Lemley’s performance was also strongly welcomed. She only gave up two hits in her complete game following a string of outings with at least eight hits and at least six earned runs given up.

“Emma threw the ball really well today,” D’Amour remarked. “I thought Lyndsey [Grein] and Molly [Jacobson] threw well yesterday as well.”

Tech faces a tough midweek challenge at home from Tennessee on Tuesday before traveling on the road again to South Bend to face Notre Dame.

Box Score: No. 13 Virginia Tech 7, Virginia 0