Hokie ClubSYRACUSE, N.Y. – Five Hokie home runs powered No. 13/17 Virginia Tech (44-9, 18-6 ACC) to a 12-1 (5 inn.) win over Syracuse (18-26, 4-18 ACC) in the regular season finale.
Rachel Castine and Jordan Lynch each hit their third home run of the series, while Kylie Aldridge’s home run was the 100th Hokie long ball of the season.
How It Happened
Nora Abromavage got things started for the Hokies in the top of the third inning with her 17th home run of the season. After Addison Foster hit an infield single to second, Abromavage homered to deep right field to give the Hokies a 2-0 lead.
Tech exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth, which was highlighted by three home runs. The Hokies started the inning with back-to-back jacks as Rachel Castine led the inning off with a solo home run to center. Immediately after, Zoe Yaeger followed her up with a solo home run of her own to left field to extend the lead to 4-0.
After a single from Emma Mazzarone, Foster tied the single-season doubles record with her 18th of the year to bring home another run. Jordan Lynch then hit a single and advanced on the throw to put runners on second and third for the Hokies. Michelle Chatfield capitalized with both runners in scoring position and doubled down the left field line to bring them both home.
With Chatfield on second, Kylie Aldridge hit the 100th home run of the season for the Hokies, as her ninth of the year was drilled to center field to extend the Tech lead to 9-1.
Lynch joined in on the home run party in the top of the fifth. After back-to-back singles from Gaby Mizelle and Annika Rohs, Lynch hit her team-leading 18th home run of the year – her third home run of the series – to make it a 12-1 ball game.
Mazzarone, Avery Layton and Sophie Kleiman combined for a four-hit game with five strikeouts.
Game Notes
• Tech has swept back-to-back ACC opponents and is on a six-game winning streak
• Tech’s 44 regular season wins are the most in a single season since 2019
• Tech earned its 19th run-rule win of the year
• Tech has scored 10 or more runs 20 times
• Tech has outhit its opponent in 48 of 53 games played
• All nine Hokies recorded a hit. They combined for 14 hits on the day
• Tech hit the 100th team home run of the season – the Hokies now have 101
• Tech has eclipsed 100 home runs for the fourth straight season
• Jordan Lynch hit her team-leading 18th home run of the season and her third of the weekend
• Rachel Castine hit her 14th home run of the season and her third of the weekend
• Nora Abromavage hit her 17th home run of the season
• Kylie Aldridge hit her ninth home run of the season
• Addison Foster tied the single-season doubles record at 18
• Foster, Aldridge (17) and Lynch (16) are all on pace to break the single-season doubles record
• Emma Mazzarone improved to 15-4 on the season
Up Next
No. 13/17 Virginia Tech (44-9, 18-6 ACC) clinched the No. 3 seed in the ACC Softball Championship and will face the winner of No. 6 Virginia/No. 11 Pitt on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ACC Network.