ACC softball did not schedule a matchup between the Virginia Cavaliers (8-17) and the #19 Virginia Tech Hokies (20-5). However, the rivals themselves scheduled two games in a span of six days that would be designated as non-conference contests. The Hokies took both games, one in Blacksburg and one in Charlottesville.
Virginia Tech won the first game 7-0 on March 24th. Keely Rochard dominated for the Hokies pitched a shutout while giving up just one hit. Abby Weaver broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the seventh inning on an infield single for the Hoos. Meanwhile, UVA used four different pitchers, with every one of them giving up runs to the Hokie lineup. Mikayla Houge took the loss after five innings of work where she gave up three runs. The Hokies had 10 hits, and leadoff hitter Kelsey Brown went 3-4.
The second game took place at Palmer Park on Tuesday night, and the Hoos lost 9-1. Keely Rochard earned another victory for the Hokies, but this time UVA got four hits off of her and scored one run. UVA’s lone run of the game came when Emma Goldberg singled in the fifth inning to bring in Abigail Barber.
The Hokies’ bats once again went to work, as they scored nine runs on eleven hits. Jayme Bailey had a three-RBI triple in the fourth inning and Kelsey Brown went 3-4 and scored 2 runs, finishing 6-8 in the two-game series. Aly Rayle pitched three innings and gave up four runs in the loss, but only one run was earned after the Hoos committed four total errors. A bright spot for the Hoos was freshman Madison Harris, who pitched three innings and gave up just one run in her longest career appearance.
UVA will look to rebound coming off of these blowout losses when they face Boston College in a four-game series this weekend.
