Hokie ClubPITTSBURGH – Virginia Tech fell to Pitt in the first game of the series, 7-6 (9 inn.), on Thursday night at Vartabedian Field.
Jordan Lynch and Cori McMillan hit a home run apiece in the loss.
How It Happened: Pitt 7, Virginia Tech 6 (9 inn.)
A quick 1-2-3 inning got the game started for the Hokies. Emma Lemley recorded two strikeouts in the first inning, with the first one marking Lemley’s 800th career strikeout. She is the only active pitcher in NCAA Division I with 800 strikeouts.
Tech struck first in the top of the second with an RBI double from Kylie Aldridge. In the top of the third with two runners on, Jordan Lynch ripped a triple to right field to bring home Cori McMillan and Rachel Castine to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third.
Pitt got on the board after a runner from third scored on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, Pitt’s batter launched a three-run shot to right field to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third.
The Panthers tallied back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 6-3.
Despite the three-run deficit, solo home runs from McMillan and Lynch in the top of the fifth make it a 6-5 ballgame. In the top of the sixth, Tech added one more off an RBI from McMillan to tie the game.
Pitt forced the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but a 5-3 double play by Lynch got the Hokies out of the jam.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the ninth, a blooper to left field dropped to give the Panthers the 7-6 win.
Game Notes
• Emma Lemley recorded her 800th career strikeout. She is the current active NCAA Division I leader and is the only active Division I player to have 800 strikeouts
• The Hokies are now 28-12 in all-time matchups against Pittsburgh
• Tech’s 17-game winning streak – the best in NCAA Division I – was snapped in the 7-6 loss to Pitt
• Tech is 0-1 in extra-inning games this season
• Cori McMillan hit her ACC-leading 20th home run of the season of the season
• It marks back-to-back seasons McMillan has hit 20 home runs
• Jordan Lynch continued to make an impact with her sixth home run of the season
• Lynch led Tech with three RBIs
• She also recorded the first triple of her career
• Kylie Aldridge finished with a team-leading three hits as she went 3-for-4
• Sophie Kleiman was dealt her first loss of the season. The junior is now 10-1 on the year with a 1.24 ERA
Up Next
No. 10/11 Virginia Tech (36-6, 14-2 ACC) wrap up its series at Pitt (16-26, 5-14 ACC) with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 18. The first game will be televised on ACCNX and the second game will be on ACCN.