Emma Mazzarone and the Hokies settled in and eventually pulled away in their 10-2 win on Friday. (Virginia Tech athletics)

Georgia Tech came in with a gameplan against Virginia Tech starter Emma Mazzarone.

The Yellow Jackets opened many of their at-bats by showing bunt. The bunts, in and of themselves, would not have been dangerous — but Mazzarone missing the strike zone as a result was. 

Left fielder Alyssa Willer worked three straight balls to start the game, then Mazzarone fired a strike, then Willer singled through the right side. Center fielder Holly Medina followed the same pattern, except it culminated in a walk. Willer and Medina advanced a base on a passed ball, then third baseman Gracyn Tucker took a walk of her own. Three batters in, Georgia Tech loaded the bases with no outs.

Hokies pitching coach Josh Johnson went out to speak with Mazzarone, then she settled down. Willer scored on a double play to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 advantage, but — crucially — Mazzarone obtained two outs. One batter later, catcher Reese Hunter grounded out to third base and Virginia Tech escaped.

“I think I just wasn’t as focused as I needed to be,” Mazzarone said after No. 10 Virginia Tech’s 10-2 run-rule win at Tech Softball Park on Friday. “Just kind of bringing it back in and being grateful to be out here and using my chance to my advantage.”

In six innings of work, Mazzarone limited Georgia Tech (27-23, 8-11 ACC) to two runs — the aforementioned scoring play in the first and an RBI groundout in the fifth when the game was all but decided. She surrendered four hits and two walks, but accrued five strikeouts. She also held the Yellow Jackets to an 0-for-8 clip with runners on base, including 0-for-5 with someone in scoring position.

“Average for her, but average was good enough,” Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour said. “Had a hard time controlling the strike zone a bit, but got out of jams. I think the first inning, that was a key play when we turned a double play with no outs and limited them to one run. That could have been a lot worse than that.”

Throughout the first inning, Mazzarone needed to reset. D’Amour said something was different about the first inning for her — it could have been the 438 temporary bleacher seats installed down the third-base line, it could have been something else. Eventually, she settled in — the culmination of mental preparation throughout her career.

“I think I just got sped up,” Mazzarone said. “I had to bring it back to square one and just try to start over. With the bases loaded and no outs, giving up one run — I felt like that was good.”

In a 1-0 hole, the Hokies (38-6, 12-4 ACC) rebounded fast. Designated player Kylie Aldridge slammed a home run to right field, bringing around herself, left fielder Nora Abromavage and third baseman Jordan Lynch.

“[Aldridge is] working her tail off to the best version she can be as a senior,” D’Amour said. “Sometimes, you say, ‘Well, I’m a really good player as a senior, and I’m going to coast’ — and she does not do that. She was probably in here for an hour hitting before the game. That’s the way she is.”

Then, Virginia Tech scored more runs. Catcher Zoe Yaeger doubled around Abromavage and Lynch in the third inning. Later in the frame, first baseman Michelle Chatfield grounded a ball between the legs of Georgia Tech third baseman Gracyn Tucker, which converted pinch runner Lily Pallante for a 6-1 lead. Second baseman Rachel Castine, who had a near-home run robbed in center field earlier in the game, singled in Chatfield.

Willer made the score 7-2 with her RBI groundout, then the Hokies ended the game in the sixth. Mazzarone, who received an at-bat, lined a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring pinch runner Lyla Blackwell. Finally, Lynch tattooed a two-run blast to end the game.

“Right before I went up, Coach Pete was like, ‘Hit a line drive to left center,’” Lynch said “And I saw the ball going to left center and then I saw it was going over the fence, and I was like, ‘Dang, I just hit a walk off.’ I didn’t realize it until I was running the bases, when I was like, ‘Wow, that’s awesome.’”

Plus, Lynch more than held her own in the field. She fielded four groundouts at third base, and she grabbed a line drive underhand in an awkward position, preventing a hit.

“It’s just confidence,” Lynch said. “I always tell any pitcher, ‘I’ve got your back.’”

Georgia Tech arm Madalyn Johnson is her team’s ace. The two-time reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week sees the plurality of the Yellow Jackets’ innings in the circle and has a 3.28 ERA. However, Virginia Tech tagged her for seven runs — five earned — and five hits.

“We practiced hitting off her yesterday, and I think everyone was just getting the hang of it,” Lynch said. “Honestly, it’s just picking a pitch and picking a speed — and then hitting it.”

The Hokies will have two more chances to hit against Georgia Tech’s pitchers this weekend. The first opportunity will follow the spring football game on Saturday as part of the Hokie Hi Weekend festivities.

“One day at a time. We preach it from day one,” D’Amour said. “It’s not even one game; it’s one pitch at a time. I told the team after the game that this place is gonna be rocking tomorrow. A normal team, that would affect them — and it’s not gonna affect us.”

Box Score: No. 10 Virginia Tech 10, Georgia Tech 2 (6 innings)