No. 15 Virginia Tech softball held up Louisville’s rally in the seventh inning of its 4-3 win on Sunday, securing its second consecutive sweep.
The Hokies (18-3-1, 6-0 ACC) have not lost since starting their ACC schedule, winning three games in two days against the Cardinals (16-8, 0-3) after three wins against Notre Dame last weekend.
Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Louisville shortstop Daisy Hess hit a two-out triple off Hokies pitcher Emma Lemley, cutting the Cardinals’ deficit to one run. With the tying run on third, Lemley forced a groundout to end the game.
“Louisville is a good team,” Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour said. “On the road with a sweep, it was a good weekend for us.”
Tech employed three arms to survive seven innings: Lyndsey Grein, Emma Mazzarone and Lemley. Grein threw the first three innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. Mazzarone pitched the two innings after that and allowed one hit and a walk. Lemley was the only pitcher to allow more than two baserunners, but settled down at the end.
“They threw well enough to win,” D’Amour said. “I think they were a little rusty. They threw well, but they just weren’t as sharp as they were on the first day.”
In her first career start, designated player Maija Louko went 3-for-3. The senior, who D’Amour praised for her work ethic, blasted a grand slam on March 3 against Notre Dame for her second career hit. With a chance to start, she hit three singles and scored a run.
“I was taking every pitch one pitch at a time,” Louko said. “I really wasn’t thinking ahead too much about everything. I was just going out there and having fun.”
Center fielder Emma Ritter led the Hokies with two RBI, knocking a double in the first inning to score Louko, then a fielder’s choice in the sixth to score pinch runner Lyla Blackwell.
Louisville split time between Brooke Gray and Gabby Holloway in the circle. Gray pitched 4 ⅓ frames, allowing five hits and three runs. Holloway allowed three hits and one run in her 2 ⅔ innings of work.
With its sweep this weekend, Virginia Tech has won eight consecutive games against Louisville dating back to 2021.
The Hokies will play a road midweek game against Charlotte on Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET before returning to Blacksburg for a weekend series against Pitt on Friday at 6 p.m. ET.
Box Score: No. 15 Virginia Tech 4, Louisville 3
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Sam, do you have any info on Rachel Castine’s return?
Great weekend for Hokies Softball (and baseball). Sam, I hate to speak ill of others but the game recaps on Hokie Sports are not good. Please provide those writers with some pointers, as yours are very well done. Thank you.
Chip, there is a pic on the softball facebook page that shows the ARTHUR street exit. Just in case you didn’t already take a pic.
Thanks, I actually posted a similar picture on the board Saturday. https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/message_board/vtsoftball/65ec952b2b8c4d0013cc884d