Hokie ClubBATON ROUGE, La. – Emma Lemley threw her second straight perfect game as the No. 18 Hokies went 2-0 on the first day of the Purple & Gold Challenge.
Lemley threw 16 strikeouts against No. 21 Northwestern to become the first Hokie in program history to throw back-to-back perfect games. She also became the second Hokie to ever record a perfect game against a ranked opponent.
With the win, Tech earned its seventh straight shutout victory to start the season.
How It Happened: No. 18 Virginia Tech 8, UT-Arlington 0
The Hokies started hot as Cori McMillan launched her third home run of the season to make it a 1-0 contest in the top of the first. Shortly after, an RBI-single to right field by Trinity Martin scored Bre Peck.
Up 2-0 to start the second, the Hokies did not take their foot off the gas as Jordan Lynch continued her stellar rookie season with a double to center field to score Kylie Aldridge.
Tech added three more runs in the top of the second to extend their lead to 6-0.
Emma Mazzarone gave up just two hits and struck out five batters through 5.0 innings pitched before Cassie Grizzard came in for relief and struck out two in the bottom of the fifth inning.
How It Happened: No. 18 Virginia Tech 3, No. 21 Northwestern 0
Despite a scoreless first inning, the Hokies came alive in the second as Trinity Martin blasted a double to right center to score Nora Abromavage. Annika Rohs then singled up the middle to bring in a run and make it 2-0.
Emma Lemley was dealing from the start of the game as she tallied five strikeouts over the first two innings. She never slowed down as she tallied 16 strikeouts over seven innings.
With an insurance run added in the top of the fifth, Lemley entered the bottom of the seventh needing just three outs for her second straight perfect game, and recorded three strikeouts to end the inning to achieve perfection.
It marks Tech’s first ranked win of the season. With a season-high 16 strikeouts, Lemley recorded her second straight perfect game and the ninth Hokie perfect game in program history.
Game Notes
• Emma Lemley became the first pitcher to throw back-to-back perfect games in program history
• It marks the ninth perfect game in program history
• Lemley finished with a season-high 16 strikeouts through 7.0 scoreless innings
• She has a 0.00 ERA through three complete games and is 3-0 on the season
• Tech has now played seven straight games without allowing a run – the first time in program history the Hokies have started the year with seven shutout victories
• Emma Mazzarone earned her second win of the year with a two-hit game through 5.0 innings pitched against UT-Arlington
• Annika Rohs led the Hokies with four hits over both games. She went 4-for-6 with two RBIs
• Rohs and Trinity Martin (2-for-6) led the Hokies on the day with two RBIs
• Cori McMillan blasted her third home run of the season against UT-Arlington. She went 2-for-5 over both games with one RBI
• Kylie Aldridge (3-for-4) and Bre Peck (3-for-6) each recorded two hits on the day
Up Next
The No. 17/18 Hokies (7-0) play UT-Arlington (4-3) at 9 a.m. ET and No. 7 LSU (5-0) at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Tiger Park.