Hokies Softball Has Successful Opening Day in Florida

The #10/#13 Virginia Tech softball team got their 2022 season off to a solid start Friday with two wins in the Northern Lights Southern Nights Softball tournament in Leesburg, Florida. The Hokies defeated a pair of Big Ten foes, winning 5-4 win over Wisconsin followed by a 3-2 victory over Northwestern.

Pitching dominated both games for the Hokies with Emma Lemley and Keely Rochard combining to strike out 31 batters in the two games while giving up only 4 hits.

Lemley made her college debut against the Badgers and looked impressive at times, striking out 16, but was victimized by numerous illegal pitch calls. Those calls contributed to 8 walks and combined with some untimely Hokie errors, led to the 4 Wisconsin runs, 3 of which were unearned.

“Emma was throwing bullets, said Hokies Head Coach Pete D’Amour, who was pleased with the youngster’s debut. “We’ll have to figure out the ‘illegal’ pitches. For a kid that got called for five illegal pitches in six years in travel ball to have that many in one game is a head scratcher. But we’ll figure it out.”

Thankfully, the Hokie offense came alive in the 6th inning, scoring 5 runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. The key shots were a pinch hit triple by Alexis Milius that scored two runs and a two run home run by Mackenzie Lawter that plated two more.

The Badgers made it interesting in the bottom of the 7th, scoring 3 runs without a hit, but Keely Rochard entered the game with two outs and closed the door with the tying run on third.
In the second game, Rochard started and went the distance, recording her 71st complete game of her Hokie career and striking out 15 while only surrendering just 3 hits. Jayme Bailey, Ally Repko, and Emma Ritter drove in runs for the Hokies.

In the end, it was two good wins for the Hokies, and provided some teaching moments for the VT coaching staff.
“This was the first test of the year,” said D’Amour. “I was very pleased with the offense. We could have easily hit six or seven home runs on a normal sized field and we had a lot of contributors. I’m confident our defense will improve. Keely just got better as she went along.”

The Hokies will be back in action on Saturday to take on Michigan State (3:30) and Missouri (6:00). The Spartans went 1-1 on Friday, beating Pittsburgh behind a two-hitter from ace Ashley Miller, before losing to Kentucky 7-0.

The #12/#11 Tigers struggled on Friday, having to go extra innings to beat Penn State 2-1 before falling to Connecticut 4-1.

The games are being broadcast by Flo TV and it sounds like they did a good job yesterday.

Let's Go Hokies!!!