BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech Hokies host the first-ever Blacksburg Super Regional this weekend, welcoming the No. 12/14 Florida Gators to town. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. on Friday on ESPN2, while Saturday will be a Noon start on ESPN. Sunday's if necessary game is TBA.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | THE BRACKET
LAST TIME OUT
The Hokies won the 2022 Blacksburg Regional, coming out of the loser's bracket to advance to the Super Regionals for the second straight season. Tech opened the regional with a 4-0 win over Saint Francis, as Keely Rochard struck out 17 and threw her ninth career no-hitter in the victory. On Saturday, the Hokies fell to Kentucky 5-4, forcing them into the loser's bracket game against Miami (OH) Saturday night, which the Hokies won 5-4. Tech then came out and defeated Kentucky twice on Sunday 9-2 and 5-4 to win the Blacksburg Regional.
SERIES HISTORY
Tech is 0-6 all-time against the Gators and the Hokies have never played host to Florida. They are 0-2 on the road against the Gators and 0-4 at neutral sites. The Hokies last matched up with UF in 2016 at the USF-Wilson DeMarini Tournament in Tampa, Fla. Top-ranked UF won that game 8-0 in six innings. Tech lost 2-0 in nine innings to the Gators in Oklahoma City in 2008 in the first-round elimination game. This will be the first time that the teams have met with the Hokies ranked higher than the Gators and just the second time that both programs have been ranked.
REGIONAL HITTING TRENDS
Virginia Tech batted .299 in five games of the Blacksburg Regional with 40 hits, 11 extra base hits and six home runs. Jayme Bailey and Mackenzie Lawter each produced two HR's and five RBI. Emma Ritter's six runs scored was a team-high as were her six hits. Bailey and Bre Peck also produced six hits during the Regional. Meredith Slaw produced six RBI in the Regional, a team-high. She was 4-for-14 (.286) overall with a HR. Tech had more walks (18) than strikeouts (15) in the Regional. Darby Trull earned four walks alone, and Bailey had three.
IN THE CIRCLE
Keely Rochard went 2-1 and earned a save in the Blacksburg Regional. In 15.1 innings pitched she allowed five hits, four runs and struck out 28 batters. Against Saint Francis (PA) in the opening game of the Regional, she pitched a no-hitter, the ninth of her career which ranks second all-time at VT. With one more, she would become the second Hokie to reach double figures in that category. ACC Freshman of the Year Emma Lemley went 1-0 allowing 19 hits and seven runs. She sat down 14 batters against just five walks throughout the Regional.
UP NEXT
The winner of the best of three series will earn a spot in the Women's College World Series, set for June 2-10 in Oklahoma City.
