Virginia Tech third baseman Jordan Lynch denied that there was any bad luck aspect to her team’s 6-2 loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday — and maybe she’s right.
“That’s just how softball works. This game is very unforgiving, and sometimes you just don’t have the best day,” she said. “I don’t really think it’s luck, it’s just a game of failure. Losses happen. You’re not gonna go 4-for-4 every day. So, that’s just how it is.”
The Yellow Jackets (28-23, 9-11 ACC) did not utilize their ace pitcher against the No. 10 Hokies (38-7, 12-5 ACC), but she wasn’t needed. Sydnie Watts and Kenley Hilleary mixed speeds and kept their opponent off balance, holding Virginia Tech to a 2-for-17 clip with runners on base — including 0-for-5 with someone in scoring position.
Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour often says situational hitting is no different from any other hitting. However, his team had numerous chances — 17 of its 26 at-bats came with a runner on base — and they culminated in eight runners left on base.
“[They] mixed speeds,” D’Amour said. “They had a good gameplan against us, and it’s just the way it rolls. It’s one game.”
For the first time in quite some time, Virginia Tech starter Bree Carrico found herself in trouble. The redshirt freshman started her inaugural campaign with a 12-0 record and finally picked up her first loss in her 25th appearance. Saturday marked the first time in college she surrendered two home runs — which were ultimately what doomed her.
In the top of the second inning, Georgia Tech shortstop Emma Simon sent a bomb into the trees beyond the left-center field fence. Left fielder Alyssa Willer knocked one to nearly the same spot a frame later. Before Virginia Tech could muster any offense, it found itself in a 3-0 hole.
Carrico allowed seven hits and three runs across three innings of work. Her three runs surrendered tied her career-high, and Saturday was the first time that happened since she lasted just two outs on March 7 against Penn State in Salem.
“[Carrico was] just not sharp, but it happens,” D’Amour said. “The kid is throwing her tail off all year, so she just wasn’t sharp.”
Avery Layton relieved Carrico in the fourth inning and saw her first ACC appearance since March 29. The freshman threw heat, too; she topped out at 72 mph and worked scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth.
“She was throwing low 70s and moving it up and down,” D’Amour said. “… She’s a freshman for the No. 10 team in the country and she’s working hard, knowing the two kids in front of her [Emma Mazzarone and Carrico] are throwing pretty well this year. She looked really good tonight.”
But in the sixth, Georgia Tech made plays. With the bases loaded, Willer roped a line drive off Layton’s lower leg — she was fine — and two runs scored. One play later, center fielder Holly Medina hit a ground ball to Michelle Chatfield at first base, whose throw to try and get an out at home plate came in after Yellow Jackets designated player Raegan Wall.
Maybe that was unlucky for Virginia Tech. Maybe it’s just softball. Either way, the Yellow Jackets pulled ahead by five.
The Hokies found two runs throughout the contest. In the bottom of the third, designated player Zoe Yaeger walked, scoring shortstop Annika Rohs and making the score 3-1. In the seventh, Rohs crossed home plate after left fielder Nora Abromavage knocked a sacrifice fly for a 6-2 score.
D’Amour places a premium on hitting balls hard, more than when or where they fall. In his mind, you can’t necessarily control where balls go, but hitting them hard increases the likelihood the team scores runs. Virginia Tech did hit balls hard; it combined to fly out 11 times and did eventually notch two runs. It just didn’t put everything together enough to win.
There were times when the Hokies got close, though. In the first inning, Medina singled with one out, then Tucker drove a double into left-center field. Virginia Tech center fielder Addison Foster picked up the ball and chucked it to Rachel Castine — whose relay to catcher Kylie Aldridge came ahead of Medina.
There were a few other moments here and there where a couple of bounces in another direction could have helped the Hokies escape from an inning with limited damage, but those bounces went the way they did. Again, that’s softball.
“We came out and we played pretty well during the first two innings,” D’Amour said. “The play at the plate kept us in the first inning. We came out and hit some balls hard in the first inning and second inning. And I think because the result wasn’t what we wanted, there was a little bit of letdown in the middle innings. We got it back in the seventh, which is too late.”
On Saturday, Virginia Tech sustained its first loss of the season by four or more runs. It was the first time the Hokies surrendered at least 10 hits since Florida State no-hit them on May 3, 2025. It was just the fourth time this season the Hokies’ opponent grabbed more hits than them (11-6).
Virginia Tech will search to buck those trends during the series finale against Georgia Tech on Sunday at noon ET (ACC Network Extra).
“We’re not gonna dwell on it,” Lynch said. “We’re just gonna keep hitting balls hard. We hit balls hard all day today. We’re gonna remember that — and we’re gonna keep doing it tomorrow.”
Box Score: Georgia Tech 6, No. 10 Virginia Tech 2