The #6 Virginia Tech Hokies showed no lingering effects from being upset by Charlotte Wednesday night, as the Hokies (12-3) took game one of their ACC series from #14/#9 Clemson by a score of 6-1.

The Hokies were clicking on all cylinders, recording 11 hits to score their 6 runs while Keely Rochard and Ivy Rosenberry scattered 4 Tigers hits with Clemson not denting the scoreboard until there were two outs in the 7th inning.

Clemson started last season’s ACC Player of the Year Valerie Cagle in the circle and she breezed through the first three innings before the Hokies exploded for all six of their runs in the 4th inning.

Morgan Overaitis, Emma Ritter, and Kelsey Bennett all singled to start the inning before a walk to Bre Peck plated the first Hokie run. Then Jayme Bailey blasted the first pitch she saw over the center field fence and off the flagpole to give the Hokies a 5-0 lead. ACC Network video below.

All the Hokies hits in that sequence came on either the first or second pitch and Bailey told thr ACC Network that wasn’t necessarily by accident. “We knew what we were hunting,” the Hokie junior said, “we picked a pitch and when we found it, we wanted to hit it.”

Hit it they did as Virginia Tech rang up 11 hits on the night, tying their season high. Friday’s performance means the Hokies are hitting .348 in their last four games.

The Hokies would add another run in the 4th inning on singles by Mackenzie Lawter, Darby Trull, and Kelsey Brown, chasing Cagle from the circle. Reliever Regan Spencer limited any additional damage, but Rochard and Rosenberry made it stand up for the Hokies win.

“It was obviously a good night for us,” said Virginia Tech Coach Pete D’Amour. “We came out with some fire and got a couple of clutch hits in the 4th inning. People will probably think I’m crazy but we haven’t done anything different offensively since we got back to school this spring. This has the potential to be the best offensive team I’ve ever been around. We just need to get some breaks. Back at it tomorrow.”

The series will continue Saturday at 1:00 with the game scheduled to be shown on ACCNX.



[Post edited by VTChip at 03/05/2022 09:28AM]