JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Virginia Tech split a pair of one run games on Saturday at the Jacksonville Invitational as the Hokies defeated Presbyterian, 5-4, and fell to Jacksonville in eight innings, 4-3.
Freshman Keely Rochard notched the second win of her young career against Presbyterian where she struck out six and allowed only two hits in 5.2 innings of work. Junior Sierra Walton registered her first career multi-hit game in the win over the Blue Hose and picked up an RBI. In the loss to the Dolphins, junior Emma Strouth hit her first home run of the season. She scored three runs over the two games.
VIRGINIA TECH 5, PREBYTERIAN 4
The Hokies got on the scoreboard right away as a single up the middle from Strouth with two out scored freshman Sammi Miller from second. Rochard retired the first six batters she faced before getting a big strikeout with two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third.
With Strouth on third and pinch runner Whitney Metz at second in the top of the fourth, senior Jessie Mehr roped a two RBI single that extended the Hokies lead to 3-0. Walton's RBI sac bunt and senior Caroline Schoenewald's RBI single with two down in the top of the fifth made 5-0 Tech, giving Rochard some breathing room.
The Blue Hose were able to get to the Hokies relief pitching though as they were made it a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh. But Tech was able to hold on as a groundout to freshman Casey Barrett secured the Hokies' second win of the weekend.
JACKSONVILLE 4, VIRGINIA TECH 3 (8)
With the Hokies trailing 2-0 entering the top of the third, junior Caitlyn Nolan led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Metz, who came on to pinch run, moved to third base on a single from freshman Cana Davis. Miller then drove Metz in on a sac fly, cutting Tech's deficit to 2-1.
The score remained 2-1 entering the sixth inning but it wouldn't stay that way for long. On a 2-2 count with two outs, Strouth rocketed her first home run of the season over the left field fence that tied the game at 2-2.
The Hokies struck first in the international tiebreaker on an infield single to short off the bat of Barrett that pushed Nolan across, giving the Hokies a 3-2 lead. It wouldn't last though as the Dolphins plated two runs on an RBI single, walking off with a 4-3 win.
The Hokies wrap up play at the Jacksonville Invitational tomorrow with a 9 a.m. game against Iowa State.