KENNESAW, Ga. – After taking both legs of the doubleheader Saturday, Virginia Tech softball finished off the sweep of Kennesaw State with a 4-0 win Sunday afternoon at Bailey Park.
The Hokies (3-0) did not allow the Owls (0-3) to cross home plate all weekend, winning 6-0, 6-0 and 4-0. Tech last shutout a team over an entire series March 6-8, 2020 with a three-game sweep of Virginia.
Junior pitcher Keely Rochard (2-0) got her second compete game shutout of the season after starting Game 1 Saturday. The Williamsburg, Virginia native retired 21 of the 24 batters she faced, striking out seven and allowing just two hits.
Again, Tech got contributions from its freshmen as Emma Ritter and Cameron Fagan drove in the Hokies' first two runs of the game. The two are second and third on the team thus far in RBIs with three and two, respectively.
"All of the freshmen were a little nervous but overall, I thought it was a good opening weekend," Ritter said. "Something I've noticed already about this team is the special ability to pick each other up whether that be mentally or physically."
THE GAME
With Rochard retiring nine of the first 11 batters she faced, the Hokies gave her some offense in the fourth when Ritter doubled to right center field, scoring Jayme Bailey and giving Tech a 1-0 lead. Fagan doubled the lead in the fifth with an RBI single that brought Mackenzie Lawter home.
The Hokies added two insurance runs in the sixth inning when Kelsey Bennett doubled down the left field line and Darby Trull came all the way around from first to score. The next at-bat, Morgan Overaitis reached on an error, allowing Bennett to score from second.
Meanwhile, Rochard made sure the four-run lead was safe, keeping the Owls hitless for the final four innings. The preseason All-ACC pitcher punctuated the win with a 1-2-3 seventh that included two strikeouts.
NOTES
- Fagan went 2 for 4 Sunday, the only Hokie with multiple hits. The freshman leads the team with five hits on the season.
- The Hokies have eight extra-base hits this season after doubles Sunday from Ritter and Bennett: five doubles, two home runs and a triple.
- Tech's pitchers stifled an Owls offense that was seventh in hitting in 2020, holding Kennesaw State to a .108 batting average in three games.
UP NEXT
The Hokies get ready for two conference series this week as they visit Clemson Thursday and Friday before traveling to Atlanta for three neutral games vs. No. 12/12 Florida State Saturday and Sunday in the new ACC Pod.