RADFORD, Va. – Caitlyn Nolan belted two home runs and [RV] Virginia Tech's softball team once again tallied a shutout, winning 10-0 in five innings against Radford on Wednesday in both teams' first midweek game of the season.
The shortstop, who was 2 for her last 16 at the plate, got back in a rhythm for the Hokies (13-2), garnering three hits versus the Highlanders (5-6) at Radford Softball Stadium. Third baseman Kelsey Bennett also hit one out of the park, going opposite field to right.
Pitcher Keely Rochard struck out five batters in 3.0 innings of work, while both Carrie Eberle and Keara Napoli pitched an inning of shutout ball.
QUOTING SHORTSTOP CAITLYN NOLAN
On getting out of a slump with breaking through tonight with two home runs:
"It feels definitely a lot better," Nolan said. "I mean, I've been hitting the ball hard pretty since the season started, but then they weren't falling as of late. So, all of the coaches have been telling me to keep doing exactly what I'm doing and don't change anything.
"I've been trusting that and trying to stick with what I've been doing. But it worked out tonight thank goodness (laughing)."
On her approaches her first two at-bats:
"Well, my first at-bat I knew she was going to throw me some strikes because of the at-bats before me," Nolan said. "First at-bat, I fouled off a lot of pitches and got a double. Then the next at-bat, I knew I wanted to jump on the first pitch, it looked pretty good. So, I saw it and swung really hard."
On what was going through her head as she saw her second HR barely stay fair:
"I was like, 'Just please stay fair,' and it hit off the pole," Nolan grinned. "I swung and didn't think I had enough to get it out, so I was just jogging a little bit and I was like, 'Oh no, it's going to go foul.' But I was just glad it knocked off the pole and it counted."
(2/27/2019) 2019 SOFTBALL AT RADFORD
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the top of the second inning on an 0-2 count, catcher Mackenzie Lawter singled to right field, driving in Nolan, who doubled to right, and moving first baseman Jayme Bailey to third, following her eight-pitch walk. Second baseman Maddi Banks walked and outfielder Al Velazquez roped one through the left side, driving in Lawter and Bailey.
The three-run lead gave Rochard enough cushion in the bottom of the second, with her showing her stuff by striking out the side – all swinging.
On a first-pitch fastball in the third, Nolan lifted one to left center, clearing the scoreboard with ease. Bennett, a batter later hit, her team-leading fourth home run of the season.
The fourth frame was Tech's biggest inning, racking up five runs put the game out of reach to mark its fifth run-rule victory of the season. Banks turned in a single off a bunt, followed by a Velazquez hit-by-pitch. Pinch-hitter Meredith Slaw reached on an error to second, driving in Velazquez and Banks used her legs to scoot across the plate as well from second.
With one on, Nolan, down in a 1-2 count, hit a hard ball down the left-field line that stayed fair just enough, hitting the pole for the two-run shot. Tech's final run of the game came through a hard-hit ball by Lawter to the third baseman, who made an error, scoring Strouth.
STAT OF THE GAME
- For the ninth time this season, the Hokies pitched a shutout. The nine shutouts lead the nation. Of the nine, four have come in run-rule wins and five have been complete seven-inning games.
NOTES
- Nolan racked up three hits in a game for the first time since Feb. 9, marking her second time of doing so this year. She has posted six games this season with two or more hits.
- Rochard, with striking out the side in the second inning, has now struck out the side eight times this season.
- Napoli made her second appearance of the season, allowing one hit and inducing two pop outs and a ground out.
- Velazquez finished going 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBIs, marking her second time this season of owning two or more RBIs (Feb. 9 vs. College of Charleston).
UP NEXT
- The Hokies will head south to Athens, Georgia, taking on No. 8/8 Georgia (14-1) and UAB (8-8) at the Bulldog Classic from Friday-Sunday with two games against each opponent.