CLEMSON, S.C. – Virginia Tech softball lost its first game of the season 8-1 to Clemson Thursday afternoon in the first game of the three-game, ACC-opening series against the Tigers.
The No. 14/15 Hokies (3-1, 0-1 ACC) fell to the Tigers (3-0, 1-0 ACC) off a third inning that saw the home side take a 5-0 advantage. Tech starting pitcher Keely Rochard (2-1) threw four innings before giving way to Kaylee Hewitt (0-0) and Mackenzie Osborne (0-0).
Despite scoring just one run, Tech had seven hits in the ballgame, tied with Clemson, as seven different Hokies recorded a hit. Darby Trull knocked in the Hokies run, scoring pinch runner Rebecca Ludowig on an RBI single.
The Hokies committed three errors in the field Thursday to Clemson's one. Only one of the six runs scored by the Tigers while Rochard was in the circle was earned.
THE GAME
Scoreless after two and a half innings despite Tech having four hits, Clemson broke through in the bottom of the third, scoring five runs on three hits, including a two-run home run for Marissa Guimbarda.
The Hokies rallied back for one run in the top of the fourth as Meredith Slaw reached on an error, who Ludowig pinch ran for, and Trull singling through the middle of the infield to cut the deficit to 5-1. However, the Tigers didn't let up, matching the Hokies' run in the bottom of the fourth and scoring two more in the bottom of the fifth.
NOTES
- Six Hokies made their season debuts in the contest, including career debuts for Maija Louko and Mackenzie Osborne. Louko pinch ran in the first inning and Osborne threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning, tallying one strikeout.
- Trull drove in the Hokies' run on her first hit of the season. The South Carolina native holds a .358 career batting average.
- Jayme Bailey had another extra-base hit Thursday with a double, giving her sole possession of the team lead in that category. Bailey has two doubles and a triple on the season through four games.
- With four strikeouts Thursday, Rochard is now tied for eighth on the Virginia Tech all-time strikeouts list with 466. The junior is 10 strikeouts away from passing Tech Hall-of-Famer Clarisa Crowell for seventh.
- Cameron Fagan had a hit Thursday, extending her hitting streak to start the season to four games. The freshman leads the team with six hits on the year.
UP NEXT
The Hokies will look to right the ship in a doubleheader at Clemson Friday starting at noon. Both games are available to stream on the ACC Network Extra.