CHARLESTON, S.C. – Keely Rochard threw a no-hitter and Carrie Eberle followed with a two-hitter, guiding [RV] Virginia Tech softball to two wins at the Wingate by Wyndham Invitational at CSU Softball Field on Saturday.
Rochard (4-0), who threw the first no-hitter in her career, picked up nine strikeouts in the Hokies' (7-0) five-inning, run-rule win, 13-0, over Detroit Mercy (3-5), while Eberle (3-0) struck out five Charleston Southern (4-6) batters in a 4-0 win on the Buccaneers' campus.
Tech came out firing offensively in the first game against the Titans, racking up a season-high 17 hits, including two doubles and two home runs. The second game was its lowest output of the season, but two insurance runs in the top of the seventh gave Eberle cushion to seal it and tie the Hokies' third-best start in school history (2012).
QUOTING PITCHER KEELY ROCHARD
On what was going through her head as the game progressed:
"Just trusting my spin and pitches and not pressing to strike people out," Rochard said. "But just to trust what I knew and kept doing that."
On if she was or wasn't thinking about having a no-hitter throughout the game:
"I was actually literally telling everyone because I felt like [Detroit Mercy] kept bunting and were trying to break up the no hitter," Rochard said. "Because every time I've had one going in the past, everyone was like don't speak about it. So, this time I was like, 'Yeah, I have a no hitter.' I kind of let it go and it didn't play with my head I guess. I'm not really big into that stuff, things don't jinx me."
On what were some of the things that led to her success in the circle:
"I think I was getting ahead in a lot of my counts," Rochard said. "I also wasn't really worried about throwing a no-hitter, I just wanted to win. Obviously, I would like to go out there and throw a no-hitter, but I don't go out there with that mindset. If they were to get a hit, I knew our team was hitting. So, I was just throwing it and I knew my defense was back there and the offense was hitting, so I wasn't too worried about keeping the no-hitter."
On if any family members were in attendance to see the accomplishment:
"My mom wasn't going to be able to make it until the second game, but when she found out that I was pitching the first game, she left at 4 a.m. today," Rochard grinned. "So, she showed up right before the game started when I was in the bullpen, which was great."
GAME 1
In the top of the first inning, catcher Lauren Duff ripped a double to left center and shortstop Caitlyn Nolan roped a liner to the shortstop, who dove but just tipped the ball, knocking in Duff for the first run of the game.
Rochard followed in the bottom of the frame by striking out the side, all on swinging strikeouts, marking her second time this season of doing so (at College of Charleston on Feb. 9 in the first inning). She would later do it again in the bottom of the fifth for her third time this year.
Tech plated five runs in the third and fifth, as well as two in the fourth to get it to 13 runs, tying its season high.
Outfielder Darby Trull, Nolan and outfielder Emma Strouth would single in the third and designated player Meredith Slaw roped a double down the right-field line, scoring Strouth for the fifth run of the frame.
The fifth inning saw many pitch hitters see some action and they did not disappoint, as freshman Stacy Kalt led off the inning with her first hit at the college level, a single to the shortstop. Up next was junior Dani Hugney, who singled to left field, and senior Kinsey Johnson walked on five pitches while Kalt scored on a passed ball.
With two on, no outs, the fourth pinch-hitter of the inning, junior Hannah Jones, lifted one to right center for a three-run home run, marking her first shot since Feb. 24, 2017, versus Coppin State. The next at-bat, freshman Maddi Banks sent one over the center-field fence for the first homer of her young career.
GAME 2
For the first time this season, Tech did not score a run in the first or second inning after going through its lineup the first time. The first run of the game for Tech came in the third inning, following a single up the middle by Strouth, knocking in Trull.
Strouth would lead off in the top of the sixth, singling up the middle and freshman Kelsey Bennett would get on after an error by the shortstop. Slaw came in to pinch-hit, posting a single to left field to score Strouth and give Tech a two-run cushion going into the bottom of the sixth.
Eberle would induce two grounders and earn a strikeout, making the Bucs go three up, three down. The top of the seventh saw two clutch hits by Duff and Strouth, with each getting an RBI to make it a 4-0 game for Eberle.
The junior would again get two groundouts and a strikeout to preserve the shutout, her first of the season.
NOTES
- The last time a Hokie registered a no-hitter was on Feb. 24, 2017, when Aysha Richardson did it against Seton Hall in five innings.
- With Nolan's RBI single in the first inning, Tech has now scored in five of seven first innings. It is 5-0 when doing so this season.
- The back-to-back home runs by Jones and Banks marked the second time the Hokies have accomplished the feat this year. Emma Strouth and Caitlyn Nolan did it versus Central Michigan last week on Feb. 9 in the fourth inning.
- Tech's 13 runs against Detroit Mercy tied a season high, matching its game versus College of Charleston on Feb. 9. The 13-run differential tied the sixth-best scoring margin in a win in school history.
- In the first game, Banks and Trull each tallied a career-high three hits. Trull would score a run and earn an RBI, while Banks scored on all three times in the base paths and had a RBI off her solo shot.
UP NEXT
- The Hokies will wrap up the tournament on Sunday, taking on ETSU (5-0-2) at 1 p.m. and Charleston Southern at 3:15 p.m.
