Avery Layton threw all seven innings and got the Hokies a 1-0 win over Winthrop on Friday. (Virginia Tech athletics)

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Behind the two-hit pitching of freshman Avery Layton, the No. 21 Hokies shutout Winthrop 1-0 on Friday night, sweeping the day’s games in the Gamecock Classic. Earlier in the afternoon, Virginia Tech defeated Binghamton 4-1 to improve to 3-0.

Layton made her first college start but did not show any nerves as she struck out the side in the first inning, throwing strikes on 12 of her 18 pitches. She ended the night with nine strikeouts and only one walk, scattering two early hits.

“I was a little nervous to begin with, but my teammates were there to calm me down,” Layton told Tech Sideline after the game. “I just needed to get through the first batter. … [Catcher] Kylie [Aldridge] was there for me, telling me to take deep breaths, calm down and get in the flow of the game. And I couldn’t have done it without my defense — they played really well tonight.”

Aldridge, her battery mate, was impressed with the newcomer, who threw all seven frames.

“Avery is a competitor, and that really showed tonight,” Aldridge said. “She was able to execute pitches and let her defense work. She did awesome.”

The Hokies gave Layton the only run she needed in the second inning. Fellow freshman Gaby Mizelle reached base when Winthrop third baseman Peyton Bryden couldn’t handle a hard-hit grounder. Mizelle then stole second and scored on a double by sophomore Nora Abromavage.

Layton made Mizelle’s run count, retiring the last 14 batters she faced — and Mizelle closed the game with a highlight play at second base.

In the first game of the day, Virginia Tech beat a scrappy Binghamton squad 4-1.

Addison Foster led off the game with a monster home run to right field, her first as a Hokie since transferring from Stetson.

The Bearcats tied the game in the bottom of the inning after Tech starting pitcher Sophie Kleiman hit a batter, yielded a double and had a wild pitch, but that was it for the Bearcats.

Kleiman recorded the win by limiting Binghamton to only two more hits while striking out four. Bree Carrico relieved Kleiman in the fifth, picking up the save by holding the Bearcats to one hit while striking out three.

Emma Mazzarone broke the tie with a solo home run in the fourth inning, and Zoe Yeager added a two-run double in the fifth to put the game away.

Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour was not surprised at the performance of his newcomers.

“We’re getting contributions from a lot of young players this weekend,” D’Amour said. “I’ve always said that freshmen have the ability to contribute right away in college. It’s not like other sports. They’re talented and physical. The mental part is the determining factor a lot of times when it comes to being ready. This weekend has been good for them to see what it takes to play at our level.”

Tech concludes play in Columbia with a pair of rematches on Saturday. It faces Binghamton at 12:30 p.m. ET before a 5:30 p.m. ET clash with No. 12 South Carolina, which the Hokies beat 8-4 on Thursday.

Box Score: No. 21 Virginia Tech 4, Binghamton 1 
Box Score: No. 21 Virginia Tech 1, Winthrop 0