No. 18 Virginia Tech softball heads to South Carolina to open its 2025 season on Friday in the Charleston Invitational.
The Hokies join Fordham, North Dakota State and host College of Charleston in the three-day affair. They’re slated to play two games each against the Bison and Cougars and one — their opener — against the Rams. Only the Sunday game vs. College of Charleston will be televised (Flo Softball).
Tech’s schedule is as follows:
“This weekend won’t be much different than opening weekends in the past,” Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour told Tech Sideline. “It will be an opportunity to play outside competition and see where we can improve before our conference season starts. We’ve had an intense month of practice, the team is healthy, and we’re in a good spot mentally. We’re ready to go.”
Here’s a brief look at Virginia Tech’s opponents.
Fordham
The Hokies will open play on Friday morning against Fordham. The Rams and the Hokies were Atlantic 10 counterparts from 1995-2000, a series that the Hokies dominated by winning all 10 games, including run-ruling the Rams in five of the last six.
However, Fordham won two of the last three non-conference meetings, recording a 3-2 victory in 2009 and a 2-0 win in 2013.
Although the Rams went 25-29-1 last season, one of their wins was 10-8 over No. 14 Kentucky.
They’re led by senior catcher Sydney Wells, who hit .299 last season with 11 home runs and 47 RBIs. She hit two dingers in the aforementioned upset of the Wildcats.
North Dakota State
This is the 50th year of softball for North Dakota State, who won the 2000 national championship at the Division II level. The Bison jumped up to Division I in 2004 and have been members of the Summit League since 2007. They’ve won the conference tournament 12 times, the most recent of which was in 2019. However, since that championship, they have a 100-126 overall record (38-42 in conference).
Last season, the Bison were 17-37 (4-14), partially because of a team batting average of .233 and a team ERA of 4.11. NDSU only hit 31 home runs last season, and given that its two leading hitters graduated, it may still be offensively challenged.
The lone meeting between the Bison and Hokies was in 2005, which North Dakota State won 5-1 in Blacksburg.
College of Charleston
College of Charleston has hit some lean times recently, having gone 50-143 since the COVID season in 2020. The Cougars were 10-39 (4-23 CAA) in 2024, had a team ERA of 5.29 and their two leading pitchers graduated.
While the Hokies hold a 5-4 series lead, the Cougars knocked the Hokies out of the 2005 NCAA Tournament with a 10-2 win in the opening round followed by a 6-3 victory in the elimination game. However, in their two meetings since Pete D’Amour took over in Blacksburg, Tech has held the Cougars scoreless — 13-0 in 2019 and 5-0 in 2020.
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is coming off its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance (no tournament in 2020 due to COVID). Since D’Amour took the reigns in 2019, the Hokies are 230-74-1 (.754).
Although they lost three of their top four hitters to graduation (a combined .397 batting average and 42 home runs), D’Amour’s group typically swings the bat hard and with power. His VT teams have averaged a batting average of .318 with 87 home runs per year.
With returners Cori McMillan (.379 average, 21 HRs), Bre Peck (.345, 13 HRs) and Michelle Chatfield (.275 average, 19 HRs) anchoring the lineup, the Hokies should put up strong offensive numbers this weekend.
In the circle, Tech welcomes back senior Emma Lemley (13-5, 2.64 ERA), sophomore Emma Mazzarone (9-3, 3.35 ERA) and junior Cassie Grizzard (5-0, 4.53 ERA). They’re joined by Indiana transfer Sophie Kleiman (14-5, 2.69 ERA), giving the Hokies multiple options — two lefties and two righties. Expect all of them to see action this weekend.
Below is a tale of the tape.
