CHARLESTON, S.C. – For the second time in as many days, Keely Rochard tossed a no-hitter and [RV] Virginia Tech softball picked up two more wins, winning the Wingate by Wyndham Invitational on the campus of Charleston Southern Sunday.
Rochard (5-0), who threw a no-hitter versus Detroit Mercy (3-6) in five innings on Saturday, followed it up with an even more impressive performance by doing it in seven frames versus College of Charleston (4-8) in the Hokies' 10-0 win.
Before the no-no, Carrie Eberle (4-0) earned another win in the circle, helping Tech (9-0) defeat ETSU (6-1-2) 8-3. Darby Trull also came up big, posting a career-high four hits with three RBIs.
QUOTING HEAD COACH PETE D'AMOUR
On the team facing its first deficit of the season and how it responded:
"It was unchartered waters for us being down," D'Amour said. "But nothing really changed in the dugout, which I was proud of. The team just kept doing its thing. I think we answered with three runs the next inning, so that was good to see."
On his takeaways of the weekend from a hitting, pitching and defensive perspective:
"The hitting was still the same, with us swinging the bats pretty well," D'Amour said. "Pitching was obviously pretty off the charts, so that was good. And our defense was better this weekend. Now, we didn't have as many chances, but with Maddi [Banks] playing second, we got to see her make some plays. All three phases were pretty good."
On shortstop Caitlyn Nolan making some SportsCenter Top-10 plays on defense:
"[Caitlyn] Nolan is one of the best shortstops and certainly one of the better ones I've coached – and I've been fortunate enough to coach some good ones," D'Amour said. "If the ball is in her vicinity, she's got a chance to make every play. So, she just did her thing and that's what she does."
On Keely Rochard's demeanor and how it looked like the moment didn't get too big for her:
"That's kind of what we are trying to stress on the girls in general, is play pitch to pitch and don't get too high or too low," D'Amour said. "Keely [Rochard] epitomizes that. Her body language never changes and she just goes out there and does her job."
GAME 1
After scoring its lowest run total of the season (4) in its last game versus Charleston Southern on Saturday night, Tech answered the bell by scoring in the first five innings against ESTU.
Leadoff hitter Al Velazquez doubled to left field to start it and three-hitter Lauren Duff drove in Velazquez with a rocket that went off the pitcher's glove. In the second inning, catcher Mackenzie Lawter hit her first-ever home run, smoking it down the left-field line to put the Hokies up 2-0.
However, the Bucs would respond with a three-run inning in the bottom of the second off of Eberle, with two of those runs unearned. With their backs against the wall for the first time this year, the Hokies responded with a three-run inning of their own in the top of the third to regain the lead they would not relent.
First baseman Jayme Bailey had an infield single, scoring outfielder Emma Strouth, and would later score, as well as Lawter, on a double by Banks to left center.
With a 5-3 lead intact, that's all Eberle would need as the junior found her groove, pitching five straight innings unscathed. She would finish with four strikeouts and inducing 16 groundouts on 99 pitches, while surrendering six hits, one walk and hit by pitch and one earned run.
Trull would add some insurance runs in the fourth and fifth inning, getting all three RBIs. In the fourth, the South Carolina native, playing back in her home state for the second straight weekend, hit a home run to center field, marking her first homer at the college level. She later scored Lawter and Bailey on a single in between third base and shortstop in the fifth.
GAME 2
For the second time on the day, the Hokies would score in the top of the first inning behind Velazquez starting it. The Colorado native singled through the left side and would score on a double to right center from three-hitter Sierra Walton. Strouth singled on the second pitch, scoring Nolan, who singled, too, and Duff followed with a double to left center, scoring Strouth to give Tech a comfortable 3-0 lead for Rochard.
Rochard set the tone for the no-no with striking out two Buccaneers, both looking. Tech would again score, just like the previous game with plating someone in five of the seven innings, with Banks singling, stealing second and being knocked in by Trull, who reached on a fielder's choice in the second.
The third inning saw third baseman Kelsey Bennett knock her first ball out of the park at Tech, a solo shot to left center. In the sixth, Trull singled up the middle, scoring Bailey and Walton doubled to center, driving in Trull.
With two runners on in the seventh, another Hokie hit her first home run. This time it was pinch-hitter Meredith Slaw, who belted a three-run homer to right center, giving Tech a 10-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh for Rochard.
Rochard would conclude the game leaving no doubt, striking out the side to finish with 13 strikeouts, six fly outs and two ground outs on 91 pitches, while only giving up two walks on 23 batters faced.
NOTES
- With the 9-0 start, the Hokies tied the second-best start in school history (2015). The best start in program history was made in 2006, when the team went 10-0.
- Rochard became just the third player in school history to accomplish no-hitters in consecutive appearances, joining Clarisa Crowell (1999) and Ashlee Dobbe (2000). She also became only the sixth Hokie to post two or more no-hitters.
- Tech racked up 29 hits on the day, with 15 in the first game against ETSU and 14 versus Charleston Southern. Lawter had a career-high three hits against ETSU and Bailey had a career-best two hits in both games.
- It was a day for firsts for the Hokies, as four players hit their first home runs in college. The four were Bennett, Lawter, Slaw and Trull. And yes, all four did receive those balls back to keep.
UP NEXT
- The Hokies will hit the road for the third weekend, heading to Tampa, Florida to play on the campus of USF in a five-game tournament. The USF-Rawlings Invitational begins on Friday and will wrap up on Sunday, with Tech playing Georgia State (1-9), Texas State (5-4) and USF (4-6).
