Entering Wednesday’s game at Gardner-Webb, No. 11 Virginia Tech (17-4, 3-0 ACC) led the nation in home runs with 38. After blasting seven round trippers in their 15-3 run-rule victory over the Runnin’ Bulldogs, the Hokies have nine more than any team in the country.
The onslaught started with lead-off hitter Emma Ritter driving the third pitch of the game deep over the left field fence and didn’t stop until both Grace Chavez and Morgan Overaitis hit pinch-hit bombs in the fifth and final inning.
“Tonight was the first night in a while where I thought we were ready from the first pitch,” Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour told Tech Sideline. “It started with some of the most focused batting practice we’ve had for a couple of games. We swung the bats well from the beginning.”
After Gardner-Webb tied the game in the bottom of the first, the Hokies found their batting stroke in the third. Singles by Emma Jackson and Cameron Fagan drove in two runs before Jayme Bailey cleared the bases with a three-run blast.
The Hokies piled on seven more runs in the fourth inning. After a Bennett single, Teagan Thrunk smacked a two-run homer to left. A single by Ritter and a walk by Madison Hanson set the stage for a pinch hit three-run blast by Bre Peck. Fagan followed immediately with a solo home run and freshman Trinity Martin plated the final run of the inning with a bases-loaded walk.
In the fifth, Chavez and Overaitis both delivered solo home runs in their pinch-hit roles to create the final margin.
The seven home runs were one shy of the school record for most in a game, set against NC State in 2021 in a 17-4 win. Among the home run hitters in that contest were three of the sluggers on Wednesday: Fagan, Bailey and Overaitis.Lindsey Grein started in the circle against Gardner-Webb and went three innings to pick up the win. She allowed just three runs, only one of which was earned. Molly Jacobson pitched the final two innings, only allowing one hit and striking out two.
D’Amour substituted freely. 23 of the 24 players on the travel roster saw playing time, a fact that made him proud.
“We were able to get everyone in tonight at some point except for [Emma Lemley],” D’Amour shared. “I even asked her if she wanted to hit it, but she gave the wise answer of ‘no.’ All of our players work extremely hard and a lot of times their ‘role’ isn’t necessarily ‘playing time.’ It was good to see those kids on the field.”
Next up for the Hokies is a trip across North Carolina to Chapel Hill to battle the Tar Heels in a weekend ACC series.
“We’re looking forward to some rest tonight and getting in a good practice tomorrow,” D’Amour said. “We have a big weekend ahead.”
Box Score: No. 11 Virginia Tech 15, Gardner-Webb 3