Virginia Tech left fielder Nora Abromavage saw a 1-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the first and designated player Kylie Aldridge standing on first base. She golfed a low inside pitch into the center-field bleachers for a 2-0 lead.
T1 | NORA BLAST THIS ONE 4 ROWS DEEP!! ??
Hokies 2, Bulldogs 0 #Hokies pic.twitter.com/IQCriQUojn— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) February 21, 2026
Her 2-for-4 clip and three RBI at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens served as a catalyst for the No. 20 Hokies’ 9-3 road win over No. 12 Georgia on Saturday. She knocked the game’s lone homer and smacked a single to left field in the fourth inning to build a 7-2 advantage for Tech (10-2).
“Tonight was a glimpse of what our team is capable of playing like,” Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour told Tech Sideline. “We played with an edge from the first pitch.”
Tech pitcher Emma Mazzarone tossed a complete game and 144 pitches. She allowed three runs — all earned — and three walks, but she struck out nine and induced 10 groundouts. The lefty’s ability to limit walks and keep the ball on the ground was crucial to the win.
Mazzarone hit, too. The Pleasant Garden, N.C., native pinch hit for shortstop Annika Rohs in the fifth inning and singled up the middle.
“Mazz was lights out,” D’Amour said. “She got through the first two innings and was in control the rest of the game. That was a very impressive outing for her.”
Abromavage’s homer marked the game’s first runs, but Georgia (12-3) tied the game at two in the bottom of the first frame. Bulldogs designated player Tyler Ellison singled up the middle, scoring center fielder Delani Sullivan and second baseman Delani Roose.
The Hokies notched two more runs in the second inning, one in the third and four in the fifth to secure the win.
First baseman Michelle Chatfield reached on a fielding error to bring around right fielder Gaby Mizelle. The final run of the second came via a double from designated player Kylie Aldridge, which allowed Chatfield to cross home plate and gain a 4-2 lead.
Mizelle grabbed another RBI through a sacrifice fly in the third, then Tech — already ahead by three runs — blew the game open in the fourth. Aldridge singled around Rohs, then Abromavage’s third RBI scored Chatfield for a 7-2 lead. Pinch runner Lyla Blackwell scored on a wild pitch. Finally, the lead grew to seven runs when center fielder Addison Foster hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Abromavage.
Georgia first baseman Gabi Novickas sent a pitch over the right-field fence in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to six runs, but it was too little, too late.
“Offensively, we hit a lot of balls hard and had good at-bats all night,” D’Amour said.
The Bulldogs split time between two arms: starter Destin Howard and reliever Ada Little. Howard surrendered five hits and four runs — two of which were earned — while walking three and striking out three. Little went the last two frames and gave up five earned runs and six hits.
A difference, as is often the case, came in situational hitting. Tech hit 6-for-19 with runners on base, including 5-for-14 with them in scoring position. Mazzarone limited Georgia to 2-for-12 with runners on base and 2-for-7 with them in scoring position.
Virginia Tech is now 3-0 early in the season against ranked SEC opponents. The win marked progress after a disappointing 2-2 stretch in Charlotte, N.C., last weekend, where the Hokies dropped in every ranking after losing to Michigan State and Charlotte. However, a win against the Bulldogs will only improve their standing — and could even more if Tech wins Sunday’s rematch.
Speaking of the rematch: the Hokies have one more opportunity before trekking back to Blacksburg. Virginia Tech and Georgia will play again on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on SEC Network Plus.
“There are always ups and downs to a season,” D’Amour said. “This was obviously one of the ‘ups.’ I challenged the team after the game to continue to believe that we are as good as we showed tonight.”
Box Score: No. 20 Virginia Tech 9, No. 12 Georgia 3