Hokie ClubGULF SHORES, Ala. - An offensive outburst and a 12 strikeout complete game performance from freshman Jordan Dail helped lift Virginia Tech to a Friday sweep of Florida A&M, 19-1 in five innings, and Penn State, 3-1, at the Sand Dollar Classic.
Sophomore Carrie Eberle had six RBI for the Hokies (2-2) in the win over the Rattlers including her first career home run on a grand slam. Sophomore Hannah Jones added four RBI in the run rule win while freshman Keely Rochard struck out eight in her first career win.
VIRGINIA TECH 19, FLORIDA A&M 1 (5)
The Hokies opened the scoring in the home half of the first when Caitlyn Nolan roped a single to center with the bases loaded that scored Olivia Lattin from third. Eberle was the next batter and launched her first career a home run over the fence in left center, making it 5-0 in favor of the Hokies. Taylor Clark's sac fly that scored Trull from third made it six runs in the first for the Hokies.
Tech tacked on eight more runs in the second that made it 14-0, pushing them into the run rule margin.
In the third and fourth, the Hokies saw junior Molly Stephenson, freshman Sammi Miller and freshman Cana Davis pick up their first RBI. Rochard retired the side in order in the fifth to earn the win.
VIRGINIA TECH 3, PENN STATE 1
After Penn State struck first in the bottom of the fourth, the Hokies responded with a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. Clark led off the inning with a base hit through the left side and later moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Lattin.
With two outs, Jessie Mehr served a single to left and Clark came around to score from second, tying the game at 1-1. Mehr stood at second after advancing to on the throw home and scored the go-ahead run making it 2-1 on a single up the middle from Emma Strouth. Nolan made it 3-1 after a single to right that was bobbled by the right fielder, scoring Strouth from first.
Dail then registered three strikeouts in the home half of the fifth and induced an inning ending 3-6-4 double play in the sixth. The freshman then retired the side in the seventh, including a strikeout looking for the final out, that closed out her first win and complete game.
The Hokies will next take on 11th-ranked Alabama at 11 a.m. to finish out their week in Gulf Shores.