BLACKSBURG – Wrapping up its final ACC series at home, the No. 21/20 Virginia Tech softball team split a doubleheader on Sunday against North Carolina, winning Game 2, 5-0, and falling in Game 3, 8-4, in the three-game series at Tech Softball Park.
The Tar Heels (29-15, 15-6 ACC), who won Saturday, 3-0, won the series, snapping Tech's (40-8, 17-4) streak of winning every ACC series it has played in. The Hokies won their first six ACC series, tying the second-most in school history.
First baseman Jayme Bailey racked up three hits in the two games combined, the most for Tech. Outfielders Emma Strouth and Darby Trull hit home runs in the first contest Sunday and catcher Mackenzie Lawter went deep as well in the series finale.
Pitcher Keely Rochard (18-3) pitched a two-hit shutout in Tech's win, striking out four and surrendering only two walks. Fellow pitcher Carrie Eberle (22-5) was flawless through the first three innings of Game 3, not allowing a hit, but the Tar Heels exploded for a seven-run inning in the fourth.
GAME 2 – VT 5, UNC 0
Rochard forced the Tar Heels to go three up, three down to begin the game, getting a groundout, strikeout and flyout. In the bottom half, Bailey singled down the right-field line to kick things off for Tech. In a 2-2 count, Strouth hit a blast to left field for the two-run home run, giving the Hokies a 2-0 lead early.
Tech got another run in the bottom of the second, as Lawter singled up the middle and moved to second after a Tech groundout. In a pitcher's count, 0-2, second baseman Maddi Banks hit a single to left field, just short enough of the diving, outstretched left fielder's glove to knock in Lawter.
For the third straight inning, Tech tacked on another run, beginning with a leadoff single down the left-field line from Bailey. Shortstop Caitlyn Nolan would walk on five pitches and a Tech groundout got Bailey to third for third baseman Kelsey Bennett. On the second pitch she saw, Bennett roped a single to left to score Bailey.
In the fifth, Trull hit a first-pitch leadoff home run to right, extending the Hokies' lead to five. Sitting with a 5-0 lead in the circle, Rochard dueled two pop ups in the infield and a fly out to center in the sixth. And needing three more outs for her 11th shutout of the season, Rochard finished in style getting a swinging strikeout for the final out of the seventh.
GAME 3 – VT 4, UNC 8
Eberle made UNC go down in order in the first frame of the series finale, throwing just 11 pitches. Tech would put the pressure on early in the bottom of the first, getting a six-pitch walk by Bailey and Trull singling through the right side to get two on, no outs for the Hokies. But a strikeout and double play would end Tech's momentum.
Carolina pitcher Hannah George (11-4) and Eberle would limit both teams in the batter's box the next two innings, taking us to the top of the fourth. The Tar Heels' Leah Murray hit a leadoff single to center and then a throwing error got her to second, which would begin the bad spell for Tech.
Six more hits by Carolina and another Tech error would prove costly, as the Tar Heels mounted a 7-0 lead. But, the Hokies would respond in the bottom half.
Strouth began with a walk on four straight pitches and outfielder Al Velazquez walked as well, getting two on for designated player Lauren Duff. Duff, on the second pitch she saw, ripped a double to left center, scoring both Strouth and Velazquez. The next batter, Lawter, would hit a two-run home run to right, cutting the deficit to three at 7-4.
Carolina answered in the top of the fifth, scoring off Tech's third error of the game to make it 8-4, the final run of the contest.
NOTES
- With the 17 wins in conference play, the Hokies now have the second-most ACC wins in a season in school history, topping the previous second-best of 16 set in 2008.
- Trull's leadoff homer marked Tech's 12th leadoff home run in an inning this year, as well as its 14th first-pitch shot.
- Rochard moves to second in the nation in shutouts (11), trailing USC Upstate's Christina Biggerstaff (13).
- Speaking of shutouts, Tech now has the most in the land with 21 this season. The next closest in the ACC is No. 4/4 Florida State (41-8, 13-5) with 16.
UP NEXT
- The Hokies will hit the road for their final ACC road series, taking off for Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where they'll play Boston College (15-28, 4-14) in a three-game series, beginning on Friday.
Gallery: (4/21/2019) 2019 SOFTBALL vs. NORTH CAROLINA SUNDAY
