Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – No. 13/16 Virginia Tech (38-9, 12-6) dropped its midweek matchup to Liberty (23-23, 15-6 CUSA), 10-9, on Wednesday night at Tech Softball Park.
Down 10-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh with two outs, the Hokies scored five runs and had the winning run at the plate but fell short of tying the game.
How It Happened
The game was tied 1-1 through the first inning, with Liberty scoring on a wild pitch and Kylie Aldridge scoring Addison Foster off a sacrifice fly.
The Flames exploded for five runs in the top of the third as the Hokies faced a five-run deficit. Tech got one back in the bottom of the third as Annika Rohs scored on a wild pitch.
A two-run home run by Nora Abromavage cut the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but Liberty punched right back in the top of the sixth, scoring a run on a Hokies’ throwing error. Two RBI singles for the Flames extended the lead to 10-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.
With two outs and runners on second and third off a single from Jordan Lynch and a double from Kylie Aldridge, Zoe Yaeger ripped a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 10-6. Michelle Chatfield followed her up with a triple to center to make it a three-run game.
On the first pitch of her at bat immediately following Chatfield, Rachel Castine launched her 10th home run of the season off the light pole in left center to make it a 10-9 game.
Tech got one more runner on base before a groundout to third ended the game.
Game Notes
• Tech outhit its opponent for the 42nd time this year
• Tech allowed 10 or more runs for the first time all season
• Tech tallied double-digit hits for the 28th time this year
• Eight different Hokies accounted for 12 hits
• Jordan Lynch went a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk
• Nora Abromavage hit her 14th home run of the season
• Rachel Castine hit her 10th home run of the season
• Avery Layton is now 7-2 on the season in the circle
Up Next
No. 13/16 Virginia Tech (38-9, 12-6 ACC) hosts North Carolina (31-15, 9-12 ACC) in the final home ACC series of the year from April 24-26 at Tech Softball Park.