CHARLOTTE – The No. 6 Virginia Tech softball team starts its Spring Break road trip this week, heading to Charlotte to take on RV Charlotte in a midweek matchup on Wednesday. The Hokies (11-2) will take on the 49ers (13-3) in a single game beginning at 4 p.m.
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LAST TIME OUT
The Hokies went 3-0 at the Carolina Classic in Columbia, S.C., posting wins over Ohio State 1-0, Miami (OH) 8-0 and South Carolina 5-3. Tech played its first extra-inning game of the season, as well as earning its first run-rule victory, in a win over the RedHawks. In the nine-inning win over Ohio State, Rochard went the distance, giving up just three hits in 9.0 innings. The bats came alive against Miami, with seven different Hokies recording a hit. Junior Morgan Overaitis led the way with three.
RITTER RAKES
Emma Ritter continued to impress at the plate for the Hokies, playing in all three complete games and posting a .400 batting average. In 10 at bats, she had four hits, including her first home run of the season, with 5 RBI. Her .700 slugging percentage led the Hokie starters, as well as her two stolen bases. Her two-run home run against South Carolina proved to be the difference in the Hokies 5-3 win over South Carolina, as she also added an RBI in the seventh to clinch the win.
NEW YEAR, SAME KEELY
Senior Keely Rochard currently leads the NCAA and ACC in strikeouts with 88. She posted a new season-high with her 17 against Ohio State, just two away from her career-high of 19. She has double-digit strikeouts in six of the nine games she has appeared in. Rochard is averaging 12.2 strikeouts per seven innings and her ERA sits at 1.11.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Hokes continue to work their way up the national polls, sitting at the number six spot in this week's polls. This is the highest ranking in school history for the Hokies, with last week's No. 7 ranking topping the 2008 team that reached the No. 8 spot.
UP NEXT
Following the single game with Charlotte, the Hokies will head to Clemson to take on the No. 14/9 Tigers in a three-game series beginning on March 4.
