Hokie ClubCHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 13/16 Hokies (46-9, 18-6) advanced to the ACC Championship game with a 5-0 win over the No. 12/12 Duke Blue Devils on Friday afternoon.
The Hokies hit four home runs from four different players to help propel them past Duke. Bree Carrico and Emma Mazzarone combined for the shutout – the first time Duke has been held scoreless all season.
How It Happened
Two solo bombs from the Hokies put them up over the Blue Devils through the first two innings. In the top of the first, Michelle Chatfield launched a homer to center field that went 272 feet to make it a 1-0 game. Nora Abromavage joined in on the home run fun as she tied the team lead with her 18th homer of the season to make it a 2-0 game.
In the bottom of the third, Duke had the bases loaded with two outs, but Bree Carrico delivered her fourth strikeout of the day to end the inning and keep the Blue Devils off the board.
Rachel Castine added another home run for the Hokies to lead off the sixth inning with a solo shot to left field that went 225 feet, making it 3-0 Tech.
With two on and two out, Emma Mazzarone entered the game for Carrico in the sixth inning. Despite loading the bases, the Hokies escaped the jam on a pop out to Annika Rohs.
After a lead-off double by Jordan Lynch to start the seventh, Kylie Aldridge joined the home run crew with a two-RBI bomb to right field, extending Tech’s lead to 5-0.
Mazzarone notched two quick strikeouts to start the seventh inning. A fielding error and a Duke single put runners on first and second, but Mazzarone finished with her third strikeout of both the day and inning to end the game.
Game Notes
• Tech improves to 24-19 in the ACC Tournament and 11-10 all-time against Duke
• Tech advances to the ACC Championship game for the first time under head coach Pete D’Amour
• Tech will play in its first ACC title game since 2012
• Tech outhit its opponent in 49 of 55 games played
• Michelle Chatfield hit her 14th home run of the season
• Nora Abromavage hit her 18th home run of the season
• Rachel Castine hit her 15th home run of the season
• Kylie Aldridge hit her 10th home run of the season and the 150th hit of her career
• This is the second time the Hokies have hit four home runs in an ACC Championship game, with the first against Louisville in 2023
• Duke was shut out for the first time all season
• The Hokies shut out Duke for the first time since April 6, 2019 (W, 6-0)
• Bree Carrico and Emma Mazzarone combined for the ninth shutout of the season with seven total strikeouts
Up Next
No. 13/16 Virginia Tech (46-9, 18-6 ACC) faces No. 8/10 Florida State (48-8, 21-3 ACC) in the ACC Championship on Saturday, May 8, at 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN.