Hokie Club
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech softball won its sixth straight ACC series Sunday with a 2-0 shutout victory over Pitt in Game 4 behind another stellar pitching performance from Keely Rochard.
The No. 18/16 Hokies (15-4, 10-4 ACC) continue to have the longest active streak of conference series wins in the ACC after their 3-1 series win over the Panthers (9-14, 4-9 ACC). Tech has not lost an ACC series since April 21, 2019.
Junior pitcher Keely Rochard (11-1) followed up her career-high 19-strikeout performance from Saturday with 19 more strikeouts Sunday in her fifth complete-game shutout of the season. The Williamsburg, Virginia native did not allow a run to the Panthers this weekend in her three starts, threw 18.0 innings, struck out 46 batters and gave up just three hits.
Freshman Cameron Fagan knocked in both runs for Tech in Sunday's win and was the only Hokie to have more than one hit. Jayme Bailey and Morgan Overaitis both had singles and Kelsey Brown hit Tech's only extra-base hit with a standup triple to the right-center gap.
THE GAME
After Rochard struck out the first three batters she faced, the Hokies added a run in the bottom of the first on a Fagan groundout that scored Brown from third after her first triple of the season. The teams would go scoreless for the next inning and a half as Rochard added five more Ks.
Tech scored another run in the bottom half of the third inning, this time Fagan knocked in Emma Ritter from third on a single to right field. The two runs were all Rochard needed to win the game who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Rochard struck out the side in five of the seven innings Sunday and had at least two strikeouts in every inning to close out the 2-0 win.
NOTES
- Rochard matched her career-high in strikeouts with 19 the day after she set the mark. On the weekend, Rochard went 3-0 striking out 46 batters in 18.0 innings and allowing just three hits and no runs.
- Brown hit her first triple of the season in the first inning Sunday. The sophomore had one triple for the Hokies last season and is hitting .378 this year.
- Tech stole two more bases Sunday, upping their total for the series to 13 in four games. As a team, the Hokies have stolen 36 bases on 40 attempts this season, led by Brown's 11 steals on 11 attempts.
- Fagan went 2 for 3 Sunday and knocked in two runs for her third career multi-RBI game.
UP NEXT
The Hokies prepare for a mid-week game with Commonwealth Clash foe Virginia Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Tech Softball Park. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network.Gallery: (3-21-2021) 2021 SOFTBALL vs. PITT SUNDAY