SALEM — It wasn’t pretty, but No. 17 Virginia Tech softball escaped the final day of the Hokie Invite with wins over James Madison (4-1) and Radford (5-4) on Sunday.
“In the first 20-some games — we’re talented, but we’ve got to keep working,” Tech head coach Pete D’Amour told Tech Sideline. “We can’t come to the park thinking we’re going to out-talent people. It’s conference time now, so we’ve got to keep working.”
Right fielder Cori McMillan and catcher Zoe Yaeger each hit two home runs during the doubleheader. McMillan’s first came in the fourth inning of Game 1, which granted the Hokies (17-4) two needed insurance scores in a one-run game. Her second was in the fifth inning of Game 2.
“Coach Pete, he worked with my swing a couple weeks ago because I wasn't seeing the ball very well,” McMillan said. “He gave me a new stance that allows me to see the ball all the way in, and that truly has helped me tremendously.”
Yaeger knocked a moonshot in the first inning against James Madison — her first homer of the season. Her second came two batters after McMillan’s second, helping build a three-run cushion against the Highlanders which proved necessary.
A two-run bomb for Yaeger??
Zoe Yaeger's first homerun of the year puts the Hokies on the board? pic.twitter.com/0ltGuN7iTW— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) March 2, 2025
Tech’s catcher went 2-for-6 with a walk in two games on Sunday after an 0-for-3 performance on Friday. She sat in favor of Kylie Aldridge on Saturday.
“I didn’t do well on Friday when I did play, and then I wasn’t in the lineup Saturday — rightfully so,” Yaeger said. “It kind of lit a fire in me to be more aggressive at the plate and get it done for my team.”
Game 1: Virginia Tech 4, James Madison 1
Pitcher Emma Lemley resumed her dominance from the day before, accumulating eight strikeouts in her second complete game in a day. Three of the knocks she surrendered failed to leave the infield; two were bunts and one was a bloop that fell in between the infielders.
In the two-game span dating back to Tech’s win over Penn State on Saturday, Lemley struck out 20 batters.
“It’s an honor to catch for Lem because she’s so good and she’s a leader,” Yaeger said. “I just want to work hard for her because she works so hard, and I like catching her riseball.”
Homers from McMillan and Yaeger accounted for all four of the Hokies’ RBI against the Dukes (6-8).
Center fielder Bre Peck prevented James Madison from reaching the scoreboard in the first frame. Responding to a fly ball from Dukes designated player Payton List, Peck reached over the wall and robbed what would have been a two-run blast.
JMU’s one run was unearned. Shortstop Abbie Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to McMillan in right field, allowing third baseman Raegan Wall to advance to third. McMillan’s toss across the diamond bounced away from Jordan Lynch at third, so Wall ran home.
The Dukes cycled through two arms: Taylor Johnson and Madalyn Johnson. The two of them combined to give up seven hits and four runs while walking two and striking out five.
Game 2: Virginia Tech 5, Radford 4
The Hokies gave up three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game before first baseman Michelle Chatfield scored on a wild pitch to end things and salvage a win.
With a comfortable 4-1 lead, Tech ran into trouble. Pitcher Emma Mazzarone allowed a single and a walk to start the seventh. At 93 pitches, D’Amour subbed her out in favor of Sophie Kleiman. After another single to load the bases, Highlanders left fielder Isabel Harrison cleared them with a double. All of a sudden, the game was tied at four after the Hokies enjoyed a lead during the previous four innings.
Kleiman then settled down, inducing two swinging strikeouts to end the top of the seventh.
In the bottom half, Bre Peck walked. Then Chatfield knocked a high fly ball, which fell out of center fielder Grace Bechtol’s glove, advancing Peck to third and Chatfield to second. Though Peck was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, Tech eventually loaded the bases with Chatfield, second baseman Rachel Castine and designated player Emily LeGette.
With left fielder Lyla Blackwell at the plate, Highlanders pitcher Abby Peace tossed a wild pitch, allowing Chatfield to cross home plate and end the game.
“We fight all the time,” McMillan said. “Sometimes, it’s a little late in the game, sometimes it gives everyone a heart attack before we do it. But I think if we come out of the gate fighting like we know we can, then we can go really far.”
Through six-plus innings against Radford (7-13), Mazzarone allowed four hits, three runs and three walks while striking out four. She induced 10 groundouts in the process.
Most impressively, Mazzarone worked her way out of a fifth-inning jam. To start the frame, Highlanders first baseman Abby Bossler hit a single, then right fielder Grace Hogie tripled. After that, she settled down, struck out two batters and forced a groundout to limit the damage.
“[Mazzarone] did really good,” Yaeger said. “She attacked the strike zone. She was jamming hitters. So, when she attacks the strike zone, she does really well.”
McMillan spent two seasons at Radford before transferring to Virginia Tech. In three appearances against her former team dating back a year, the senior has hit three home runs and accrued six RBI, and including her fifth-inning homer on Sunday.
“I always have a soft spot for Radford,” McMillan said. “I still have a couple best friends on the team. Of course, there’s a different coaching staff, so that makes it a little different, but I always love playing against them. It makes me work almost harder because it makes me feel like I have something to prove — and then getting to see them, also, I love it.”
Chatfield gave Tech its first lead in the third inning with a two RBI double, scoring Peck and Nora Abromavage, who was pinch running for Yaeger.
Still, the Hokies failed to capitalize on opportunities to score. In the weekend finale, they went 1-for-13 with runners on base, including 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
“Lackadaisical all day,” D’Amour said. “We weren’t aggressive. Just came out and went through the motions.”
The Hokies will open their ACC slate with a three-game series against Virginia at Tech Softball Park this Friday (6 p.m. ET).