No. 14 Virginia Tech softball sustained its first shutout loss in 401 days in its 4-0 series finale defeat to Cal on Sunday.
Before their excursion to Berkeley, the last time the Hokies (39-8, 17-4 ACC) were held scoreless through seven innings was on March 22, 2024, at the hands of then-No. 13 Alabama. They avoided the fate through the final 24 contests of 2024 and the first 46 of 2025, until their offense failed to squeak a run on the West Coast.
On Sunday, Tech hit 1-for-12 with runners on base, including 0-for-3 with them in scoring position. The Golden Bears (32-18, 7-13) weren’t much better — they went 4-for-16 with runners on and 2-for-8 with them in scoring position — but found offense when it mattered.
No Virginia Tech player reached two hits. Only five — first baseman Michelle Chatfield, catcher Zoe Yaeger, designated player Kylie Aldridge, second baseman Rachel Castine and left fielder Trinity Martin — notched one. Otherwise, Cal pitcher Annabel Teperson silenced her opponent throughout all seven innings.
Tech’s typical weapons at the plate did not produce. Right fielder Cori McMillan, who leads the nation with 25 home runs, went 0-for-3. Third baseman Jordan Lynch also went 0-for-3 in the four hole after contributing two RBIs on Saturday. The program’s all-time home run leader, center fielder Bre Peck, also hit 0-for-3.
Teperson only struck out one batter, but pitched to contact and let her defense work. She allowed five hits and two walks, though she stranded six runners on base.
The Golden Bears scored all of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings. With two outs in the fifth, left fielder Kaylee Pond sent a three-run homer over the right-field fence, scoring first baseman Tianna Bell and pinch runner Xiomei Geluz. Then in the sixth, catcher Lagi Quiroga knocked a ground ball that hit first base, which brought around second baseman Mia Phillips for another insurance score.
Emma Mazzarone started her first game for the Hokies in over a week and labored through four scoreless innings. Though she struck out six batters, she walked five — though three came in the first two frames.
Emma Lemley then relieved Mazzarone for 1 ⅓ innings after tossing a complete game the day before. She surrendered two singles and the go-ahead home run in the fifth inning, then a walk and another single before Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour removed her.
Cassie Grizzard picked up the final two outs. She gave up a hit and struck out one of the three batters she faced.
The weekend marked Virginia Tech’s first conference series in the Pacific Time Zone — a consequence of continuous conference realignment. The Hokies have made the trip to the West Coast three times in the past two seasons.
The first time came in February 2024, when they dropped games in Tempe, Ariz., to Cal and Grand Canyon. The other instance was at the end of that season in the Los Angeles regional, when they saw their season conclude after losses to No. 6 UCLA and another defeat at the hands of Grand Canyon.
Traveling across the country and taking two of three games is an accomplishment, especially following a series loss to Pitt a week ago. A sweep would have further boosted Tech’s chances to earn a top-16 seed and host a regional in Blacksburg in a few weeks, but sometimes a good team runs into a good pitcher — as the Hokies did on Sunday.
Still, they have another massive opportunity to solidify a high seed: No. 7 Florida State will visit Blacksburg this weekend for a three-game set — with the first game on Friday, May 2, at 6 p.m. ET. Then comes the ACC Tournament in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and beyond.
Box Score: Cal 4, No. 14 Virginia Tech 0