CONWAY, S.C. – Looking to stay undefeated, the Virginia Tech softball team took down both Campbell (0-3) and East Carolina (1-2) on Saturday in the second day of the Kickin' Chicken Classic on Coastal Carolina's campus on Saturday.
The Hokies (4-0) earned their fourth straight win to open the season, marking the second consecutive year Tech has started off undefeated through four outings. Tech saw strong pitching in each contest from pitcher Kaylee Hewitt (2-0), who had eight Ks against the Camels, and junior Keely Rochard (2-0), who recorded nine strikeouts versus the Pirates.
In the first game against Campbell, freshman Ashley Whitley recorded career highs in hits with two, runs with two and RBIs with four. Outfielder Kelsey Brown recorded three runs and two hits while sophomore Maddi Banks hit her first homer of the season.
In the second contest of the night versus East Carolina, Brown performed yet again with three hits and one run. Sophomore Jayme Bailey recorded three hits, including a three-run homer, which propelled Tech to victory.
GAME 1
Against Campbell in the first inning, the Camels took an early 3-0 lead, but the Hokies responded quickly, answering with three runs of their own to tie the contest at 3-3.
In the fifth, Banks homered and Ashley Whitley recorded the RBI bringing Brown home to give Tech a 6-3 lead. The bottom of the sixth would be all Hokies as Ashley Whitley nailed a three-run homer giving Tech a 9-3 advantage.
Rebecca Ludowig then recorded a run followed by a single from Kate Kobayashi bringing Kelsey Bennett home to score. Tech claimed an 11-3 run-rule victory in six innings.
GAME 2
Versus East Carolina, both team's outfields came to play as neither squad let a run score through four innings, with the game knotted at 0-0.
In the fifth, Brown homered to get the Hokies on the board and spark the offense. Bailey hit a three-run homer making the score 4-0. The Pirates would respond with a couple of runs, but Tech went on to win 4-2.
QUOTING PITCHER KEELY ROCHARD
On the win and her performance:
"It feels pretty good to be undefeated," Rochard said, "and it really helps to have my team behind me along with some good offense to help out, too."
NOTES
- Rochard threw nine Ks, giving her 19 on the season through two games.
- Bailey hit her first homer of the season and seventh of her career. Bailey's six hits so far this season brings her 60 hits on her career.
- Hewitt threw her career-high eight strikeouts versus Campbell and has 11 through two games.
- Brown has a team-high nine hits and six runs through the first four games.
UP NEXT
The Hokies will take on Iowa for the second time in the Kickin' Chicken Classic on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on Coastal Carolina's Campus.
Gallery: (2/8/2020) 2020 SOFTBALL KICKIN' CHICKEN CLASSIC 2