BATON ROUGE, La. — The quality of competition may have increased, but the results remained the same for the No. 18 Hokies and senior pitcher Emma Lemley on Friday.
Five days after throwing a perfect game against College of Charleston, Lemley did it again — this time a 3-0 gem against No. 21 Northwestern at LSU’s Purple and Gold Challenge. Combined with the 8-0 run-rule win over UT-Arlington in the first game of the day, Virginia Tech (7-0) has yet to allow a run this season.
Lemley became the first Hokies pitcher to ever throw back-to-back perfect games in school history and only the second to throw a perfect game against a ranked opponent (Keely Rochard in 2019 vs. No. 17 James Madison).
“I think I’m still shaking a little bit,” Lemley told Tech Sideline after the game. “I knew with that last batter, I had a perfect game going and I felt myself shaking, but I told myself, ‘Calm down and throw strikes just like you’ve been doing.’”
That she did, striking out eight of the last nine batters of the game. However, the last one had a bit of drama as Northwestern’s leading hitter, Kaylie Avvisato, swung at a curve ball in the dirt, which rolled a few feet away from Tech catcher Zoe Yaeger. However, Yaeger calmly gathered the ball and threw it to first baseman Michelle Chatfield to get the final out.
“I hugged Emma after the game and told her I was sorry that pitch got away from me,” Yaeger said. “But she just laughed and said she didn’t care. It all worked out.”
She did it again!!! Emma Lemley with her second consecutive perfect game and she beats Northwestern 3-0 pic.twitter.com/CrS9u5svFA
— Chip Grubb (@Hokiechip) February 14, 2025
“Northwestern is a perennial postseason team,” Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour said. “Emma was dialed in from the jump and never lost her focus. She continues to work hard and the results are showing.”
It was the third excellent outing from Lemley this spring. She flirted with a no-hitter in the season-opening game, taking the no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning, though a Fordham hitter laid down a bunt and reached first when Lemley couldn’t field the ball cleanly. The play was ruled a hit by the official scorer.
Two perfect games followed in her next two starts, so over the 18 innings she’s pitched this season, Lemley has allowed one hit, walked two and struck out 38.
Tech gave Lemley all the run support she needed against Northwestern in the second inning. A double by Trinity Martin scored Nora Abromavage, pinch running for Yaeger, and a single by Annika Rohs plated Emma Mazzarone. It was one of Rohs’ four hits on the day and raised her team-leading batting average to .615 (8-for-13).
“I’m just trying to have good at-bats and put it together,” Rohs said. “I think I just feel more comfortable than I did after my freshman year. I’m just trying to flip over the lineup so the top of the order can drive me in.”
In the first game of the day, Mazzarone and Cassie Grizzard combined to limit UT-Arlington to two hits while striking out seven. Mazzarone ran her scoreless inning streak to 12 and has walked just two batters while striking out 16.
The Hokies struck early against the Mavericks, scoring six runs in the first two innings, highlighted by Cori McMillan’s third homer of the season. Kylie Aldridge had three hits in the game while McMillan, Bre Peck, Emily LeGette and Rohs had two each.
Tech continues its Louisiana trip with a rematch with UT-Arlington at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday and a showdown with No. 7 LSU at 5:30 p.m., weather permitting.
D’Amour has been pleased with his team’s focus so far. The Hokies have outscored their opponents 61-0 through seven contests.
“A little insight to Emma’s thought process, as well as the team’s, was what she told me after the game: ‘It’s time to get another win in the morning,’” D’Amour said.
Box Score: No. 18 Virginia Tech 8, UT-Arlington 0
Box Score: No. 18 Virginia Tech 3, No. 21 Northwestern 0