KENNESAW, Ga. – Virginia Tech softball saw its first game action in over 11 months Saturday afternoon, opening the season with back-to-back shutouts over Kennesaw State.
Junior Keely Rochard (1-0) and freshman Ivy Rosenberry (1-0) both threw the full seven innings and allowed a combined six hits to the Owls (0-2). The win is the first of Rosenberry's career in her first ever start. Rochard picked up just where she left off in 2020, striking out 11 batters and retiring 21 of 26.
"For being the first time playing outside competition, I thought we had a pretty good day highlighted by the pitching of Keely and Ivy," Head coach Pete D'Amour said. "Kennesaw is a good offensive team and throwing back-to-back complete game shutouts was impressive."
Freshmen Addy Greene and Emma Ritter also had great debuts as they both homered in their second at-bats of Game 1, Greene's plating two runs while Ritter hit a solo shot. Fellow freshmen Cameron Fagan recorded her first RBI of her career with a single in the fourth inning of Game 2.
"We have some young players on the team, but I didn't see any nerves," D'Amour said. "Our returners have done a good job bringing everyone along. We'll rest up and get ready for tomorrow."
GAME 1
Scoreless after two innings, Cana Davis, who missed all of 2020 due to injury, broke the tie with an RBI double down the left field line scoring Fagan and putting the Hokies up for the first time in 2021. Later in the third inning, Meredith Slaw ripped a single up the middle to bring Morgan Overaitis across the plate and jump out to a 2-0 lead.
The freshmen broke out in the fourth when Ritter hit a leadoff homer over the wall in left center field, followed up by Greene's two-run blast two batters later to extend the Hokies' lead to five. In the fifth inning, Ritter lined a single to left field to pick up her second RBI of the game.
Rochard retired the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the Hokies' first win.
GAME 2
Preseason All-ACC Jayme Bailey got the Hokies on the board in the first inning with a two-run double to right center field, bringing in Fagan and Alexa Milius. Rosenberry faced her first test in the second inning after the Owls loaded the bases, but the freshman was able to pitch out unscathed, forcing a couple of putouts and striking out a batter.
The Hokies added a pair of runs in the fourth inning when Kelsey Brown had an RBI groundout and Fagan singled, scoring Mackenzie Lawter. Bailey struck again in the sixth with a single up the middle with the bases loaded, bringing in two more runs for a 6-0 lead.
Rosenberry closed out the game, retiring 12 of the last 13 batters she faced en route to her first collegiate victory.
NOTES
- After the first day of the season, Bailey leads the team in both batting average (.500) and RBIs (4). She had a double and a triple Saturday to lead the Hokies with two extra-base hits.
- Rochard and Rosenberry held the Owls to a combined .120 batting average Saturday while striking out 13 batters. Kennesaw State was seventh in the country in batting average in 2020 with a team mark of .350 and led the ASUN.
- Slaw and Lawter each drew four walks Saturday with Slaw walking three times in Game 1 and Lawter three times in Game 2. Both were just shy of reaching base on balls four times in one game, which was last done by a Hokie on March 10, 2012 when Courtney Liddle accomplished the feat.
UP NEXT
Tech will wrap up the three-game series with the Owls and go for the sweep Sunday at 12 p.m. ET. The game will be streamed on YouTube with live stats available on StatBroadcast.