The #3 Virginia Tech softball team (35-6, 17-2) clinched their seventh series win of the season Saturday with a 3-0 win over Louisville at Tech Softball Park.

Combined with Duke’s 1-0 loss at Syracuse, the Hokies now have a game and ½ lead over the Blue Devils for the ACC regular season title with 4 games to go. But more importantly for post-season seeding purposes, RPI projections now have the Hokies up to a solid #2.

Freshman Emma Lemley was outstanding in the circle on Saturday, throwing a 3 hit shutout and striking out 11. At one point, she retired 14 Cards in a row and when she found herself in a bit of trouble in the sixth inning, she induced three consecutive pop outs from the top of the Louisville batting order.

“I’m proud of Emma, said Hokies Coach Pete D’Amour. “Today was the best game she’s thrown in a couple outings. That bodes well for us down the stretch.”

It was Lemley’s fifth shutout of the year (Miami, Clemson, Longwood, UCF) and followed a solid performance Wednesday night in Tennessee.

Fellow freshman Bre Peck gave Lemley all the support she would need in the third inning with a bases loaded single to left field to drive in two runs. Emma Ritter would drive in the third VT run in the 4th with a double.

The Hokies would end the day with just 4 base hits and would leave 8 runners on base.

“We found a way to win today,” said D’Amour. “Offensively, we got into a lot of hitters counts but just couldn’t find the barrel enough. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

The series will conclude on Sunday with a noon game which will be televised by the ACC Network. The game will be followed by a Senior Day ceremony as the Hokies honor six graduating student – athletes: Kayleigh Addington, Mackenzie Lawter, Alexa Milius, Ally Repko, Keely Rochard, and Darby Trull.

“We’ll need to come out ready to play tomorrow and send our seniors out with a win on senior day,” said D’Amour.

The "dialed in" picture of Emma Lemley is courtesy of HokieSports