For the second straight week, a Virginia Tech softball player has earned a national honor, as the Louisville Slugger/NFCA tabbed Keely Rochard Division I National Pitcher of the Week, while the league office named her ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday.
Rochard is coming off two no-hitters this past weekend at the Wingate by Wyndham Invitational, becoming only the third player in school history to do so. The sophomore threw a five-inning no-hitter against 15 batters in Tech's 13-0 win over Detroit Mercy on Feb. 16, while tossing a seven-inning no-hitter against Charleston Southern on Feb. 17.
Rochard, who won ACC Co-Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 12 as well, struck out 22 batters in the two games combined and did not allow a run, getting her to five shutouts on the season. She now pitched 31.0 innings on the season and has yet to allow a run.
She now joins fellow teammate Caitlyn Nolan as the two Hokies to earn the weekly honor from the NFCA. Nolan was National Player of the Week on Feb. 12.
The Hokies are one of only 10 teams left in Division I softball that are perfect on the season, including just one of seven Power Five teams and one of two in the ACC.
For the first time this season, they are receiving votes in the NFCA Top 25, while they moved up in the USA Softball Top 25 poll, being named the first team in the RV section.
Tech will hit the road for the third straight weekend, heading south to Tampa, Florida to play in the USF-Rawlings Invitational, a five-game tournament starting on Friday and wrapping up on Sunday.
