BLACKSBURG – It was a beautiful day to celebrate No. 24/T22 Virginia Tech's seniors on Senior Day, with temperatures in the high-60s and sunny and an intrasquad scrimmage taking place at Tech Softball Park.
It was a low-scoring affair through six innings of action, tied at 1-1, but each team exploded for three runs in the seventh for a 4-4 tie between the Orange Team and Maroon Team.
The Orange Team, made up of the five seniors and a few others, got down in the hole early, with outfielder Al Velazquez hitting a solo home run off the scoreboard in right center for the Maroon squad. But the Orange Team answered in the bottom of sixth thanks to a solo bomb from third baseman Stacy Kalt to left.
Knotted at 1-all, third baseman Kelsey Bennett hit a bloop single to right, scoring second baseman Jayme Bailey and outfielder Darby Trull. The next batter reached on an error, allowing Bennett to score to make it a 4-1 game heading into the bottom of the seventh.
First baseman Sierra Walton started the bottom half with a single to left center, then designated player Lauren Duff singled through the left side to get two on, one out. Then an absolute blast came off of catcher Grace Chavez's bat, hitting a three-run home run to left center that still hasn't landed to tie it up at 4-4.
After the game, the team was honored with its ACC Coastal Division trophy. The five seniors made up of Duff, outfielder Kinsey Johnson, shortstop Caitlyn Nolan, outfielder Emma Strouth and Walton, as well as manager Chyna Carter were honored pregame with being escorted by their loved ones and receiving their framed jerseys.
QUOTING SENIOR SIERRA WALTON
On how the whole day went:
"It was really fun," Walton said. "You can tell that we are a competitive team against each other, but we keep it loose and fun. And it was cool that we ended in a tie so there was no differential between the two of us."
On the pregame festivities and what was going through her head:
"I was sad just because we're coming down to our last couple of games," Walton said. "But this is the best year to go out on and with the best group of girls. It's like a half bittersweet type of thing."
QUOTING SENIOR LAUREN DUFF
On how the day went for her:
"I had a really good time," Duff said. "I don't really cry, but I know it was a very emotional day for a lot of the seniors. But I'm happy we had a great time and made it the best of what it could be given the situation."
NOTES
- Pitcher Carrie Eberle (25-5) tossed a five-inning perfect game, facing 15 batters and striking out four of them. Fellow starter Keely Rochard (20-3) went five innings as well, striking our four, too, and allowing one earned run.
- Tech's other two pitches on staff, Keara Napoli and Mara Strum, pitched two innings a piece and each tallied a strikeout.
- Kalt's home run was her second this year, hitting her first career deep ball on March 23 at Pitt.
- Johnson had a nice assist from center, gunning down a runner at second base trying to extend a single into a double.
- The Maroon outhit the Orange 8-4, with Bailey, first baseman Meredith Slaw and Velazquez being the lone Hokies on the day with two hits apiece.
UP NEXT
- The Hokies (45-8, 20-4 ACC) will hit the road for Tallahassee, Florida on Tuesday, practicing in the Sunshine State that the afternoon and then on Wednesday before they play at 11 a.m. ET versus the winner of the 8-9 matchup at the ACC Championship on Thursday as the No. 1 seed.Gallery: (5/4/2019) 2019 SOFTBALL SENIOR DAY
