CLEARWATER, Fla. – After taking down No. 14/13 Minnesota Saturday night, Virginia Tech kept it rolling into Sunday with a 6-5 win after eight innings over No. 21/23 Northwestern in the Hokies' last game at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational.
Tech (7-3) leaves Clearwater with a 3-2 record in Florida after the win over the Wildcats (4-5). Keely Rochard (4-3) got the win for the Hokies after coming into the game in relief of starter Kaylee Hewitt (3-0) in the fourth inning.
"We knew coming into this weekend that we were going to get tested, and we certainly did," Virginia Tech head coach Pete D'Amour said. "I saw a ton of good things this weekend and saw some areas where we need to improve. I am very encouraged with a 3-2 showing against this weekend's competition. We proved that we can compete with anyone in the country."
Hewitt pitched well, going 3.2 innings and allowing only one earned run. The Hokies saw a good game from Kelsey Brown, who had two RBIs and a sensational catch at the fence in left field. She also stole her team-leading eighth base of the season.
Kelsey Bennett, Meredith Slaw, Darby Trull and Mackenzie Lawter each had an RBI in the win. Bennett was the only Hokie with multiple hits Sunday afternoon.
"I am really thankful for the effort these kids gave me this weekend," D'Amour said. "We need to take a day off and be ready to have a good practice on Tuesday"
THE GAME
After Northwestern took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Kelsey Bennett answered for the Hokies in the fourth inning with a ground-rule double to left field. The hit sparked a five-run inning for Tech.
Slaw was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Brown singled through the right side of the infield to knock in two more. The inning ended after Trull hit an infield single, scoring Maddi Banks, but Brown was called out at the plate attempting to score from second.
The Wildcats made it a one-run game in the bottom of the fourth. A walk, error and single loaded the bases and another walk and single scored three for Northwestern. The Wildcats would tie it in the sixth with a sacrifice fly.
Tied at five after seven, the game went to extra innings when Bennett began as Tech's automatic runner on second to start the eighth. Al Velazquez dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Bennett to third and Lawter brought her home with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Rochard closed out the game in the bottom of the eighth, retiring the Wildcats in order to clinch Tech's third win of the weekend, all over top-25 competition.
NOTES
- Rochard won her fourth game of the season Sunday against Northwestern. She is now 31-10 in her career.
- Bennett hit her second double of the season in the fourth inning Sunday. It was Tech's only extra-base hit.
- The day after she picked up her first career win over a ranked opponent, Hewitt made her second straight start Sunday. She pitched 3.2 innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run.
- Lawter threw out two baserunners Sunday for her fifth and sixth assists of the year. She now has an even 30 assists in her career.
UP NEXT
The Hokies will prepare to play in their third tournament of the season this upcoming weekend when they travel to Charleston, South Carolina for the Charleston Invitational hosted by College of Charleston. Tech's first game is set for Friday at 9 a.m. ET.