Emma Lemley and the Hokies started the 2025 season with two run-rule wins in Charleston. (Virginia Tech athletics)

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — The No. 18 Hokies got off to a blistering start to 2025 on Friday in the Charleston Invitational with two run-rule wins, defeating Fordham 12-0 in the season opener and capping the day off with an 8-0 victory over North Dakota State.

The Virginia Tech (2-0) pitchers were impressive, limiting the two opponents to two combined hits while striking out 19. Meanwhile, the batters scored 20 runs on 18 hits and blasted three home runs.

“We had an impressive day, especially in the circle,” Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour told Tech Sideline after the game. “Emma [Lemley], [Emma] Mazzarone and Sophie [Kleiman] had good velocity and attacked hitters.

“Offensively, the most impressive aspect was the continual fight that we showed. It didn’t matter if we had good at-bats or bad at-bats; the hitters brushed off the result and got right back at it. We’re looking forward to getting on the field again tomorrow.”

In the first game of the day, senior Emma Lemley shut down the Fordham offense, striking out 14 and allowing only one pitch to be hit out of the infield. She started the game with an immaculate inning, striking out all three hitters she faced with just nine total pitches.

“That’s the best start I’ve had in my four years here,” Lemley said after the game. “The rise and curve were both working today; they were both moving. I think I [only] threw one off-speed pitch and one drop ball.”

Lemley, who threw strikes on 74 of her 104 pitches, held the Rams hitless until the sixth inning, when leadoff batter Neleh Nogay laid down a bunt that Lemley couldn’t field cleanly.

“I saw it come off her bat,” Lemley said, “and I thought I had it, but it was spinning and I picked it up and I lost it.”

She followed up Fordham’s lone hit by striking out the next two batters to end the game.

Meanwhile, Tech’s batters jumped on Rams starter Emilee Watkins in the second inning. Bre Peck led off with a single and freshman Jayden Jones smacked a double to right-center for her first collegiate hit, which scored Peck.

A walk to Trinity Martin was followed by consecutive hits by Mazzarone, Annika Rohs and Jordan Lynch as the Hokies plated six runs before the inning was over.

They later added six more runs, highlighted by Rohs’ solo homer in the third and Peck’s three-run blast in the sixth.

In the second game of the day against North Dakota State, Mazzarone started and pitched four scoreless innings. She only yielded one hit while striking out four. Kleiman, who transferred from Indiana, entered the game in the fifth inning and retired the Bison in order.

The Hokies got on the scoreboard in the third inning, loading the bases with a hit by pitch (Rachel Castine), a bunt single (Lyla Blackwell) and a walk (Cori McMillan). Michelle Chatfield drove in one run with a single, Peck drove in two more with a single and Emily LeGette plated the final two with a double to left-center.

McMillan brought home the final three runs with a three-run rocket over the center-field fence in the fourth.

For McMillan, it represented a reward for being patient during the day after drawing four walks during the two games.

“I felt like I was seeing the pitches really well,” McMillan said after the game. “Sometimes I get tense and excited in the batter’s box, but today I was just being patient and waiting for my pitch.”

Tech is back in action in Charleston on Saturday, starting with a 12:30 p.m. ET rematch with North Dakota State. It’ll face College of Charleston, the tournament hosts, at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Box Score: Virginia Tech 12, Fordham 0 (6 innings) 
Box Score: Virginia Tech 8, North Dakota State 0 (5 innings)