Some softball teams around the country pour out of the dugout and surround home plate after every home run, greeting the players who scored.
That’s not really Virginia Tech’s M.O. Sometimes, in a big moment or with a player who does not often go yard, some players will enter the field — but not most of the time. Everyone in the Hokies’ dugout has a job to do.
Neither method is necessarily right or wrong, but during Virginia Tech’s 14-5 run-rule win against North Carolina on Saturday, its players showed more emotion after homers.
“I wouldn’t say there’s a thought process behind it,” Virginia Tech right fielder Gaby Mizelle said. “But on some of the home runs that are really exciting, like Michelle’s three bombs tonight and Nora’s, we all just kind of had to run out there to celebrate our girls.”
As Mizelle said, the Hokies (40-9, 14-6 ACC) had plenty of home runs to celebrate. First baseman Michelle Chatfield blasted three home runs, tying her own program record for blasts in a game, which she shares with Cori McMillan, Bre Peck and Kelsey Bennett. Those homers combined to drive in nine runs, setting another program record.
Chatfield’s first bomb was a second-inning grand slam, which traveled 243 feet with a 73 mph exit velocity. The second came an inning later for another three RBI. She blasted a solo shot in the fifth for her third tank. Combine that with an RBI single in the first inning, and that equals nine runs batted in.
“A record is a record; it’s there for whoever to see,” Chatfield said. “But I’m just more happy about the team win.”
Chatfield didn’t hit all of Tech’s homers against the Tar Heels (31-17, 9-14). Ahead 11-5 and needing to score three times to trigger the run-rule and end the game, left fielder Nora Abromavage blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Rachel Castine singled, then Mizelle ended the game with a bomb of her own.
The fact that Virginia Tech was in a position to run-rule its opponent at Tech Softball Park on Saturday was far from a given.
With inclement weather looming, Hokies starter Emma Mazzarone began the game in the circle. She walked center fielder Sanaa Thompson, left fielder Lexie Roberts dropped an infield single and first baseman Emily LeGette walked. Then, with the bases loaded, third baseman Shelby Barbee nicked a double just down the first-base line, scoring all three runs. Before Tech registered an out, it was in a 3-0 hole — marking the sixth consecutive game that its opponent scored first.
“Mazz just wasn’t sharp,” Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour said.
To make matters more complicated, that’s when the rain delay began. Radars detected lightning in the area, so the teams trekked to the indoor facility adjacent to Tech Softball Park. They remained there for an hour and 50 minutes, before the game resumed at 5 p.m.
“We all didn’t know if we actually had to go inside or not, but we made our way in there. UNC was in there with us, so we were just kind of hanging around,” Chatfield said. “We went and found a volleyball in the supply closet and started playing with that. They were playing hacky sack.”
D’Amour installed Avery Layton to relieve Mazzarone after the rain delay. She forced Carolina right fielder Michele Tarpey to pop up to third base, then struck out designated player MC Eaton and second baseman Raegan Jennings looking.
Crucially for Layton, she had some help in the first. Chatfield knocked her aforementioned RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1. Then, catcher Zoe Yaeger tied the game with a two-RBI double.
Time from the first to last pitches of the first inning: two hours and 16 minutes.
“I said [during the rain delay], ‘Get out of this inning and we’re going to go hit.’ That inning was over,” D’Amour said. “I said, ‘Whether they score again or if they don’t, we haven’t hit yet.’ So, we came back, put a three-spot up and it felt pretty good.”
Layton tossed the rest of the game. The freshman finished the remaining five innings; she allowed two runs — one earned — and three hits, while walking two batters and striking out four.
“She did great,” Chatfield said. “Coming out after a rain delay is really hard, especially when you have a runner on second with no outs and you’re down by three.”
Tech’s offense supported Layton. As a team, it went 8-for-17 with runners on base, including 5-for-14 with someone in scoring position. And after the second inning, the Tar Heels’ bats went silent, culminating in a 4-for-13 clip with runners on base and 2-for-7 with someone in scoring position.
The Hokies had entered the weekend off of three consecutive home losses — two to Georgia Tech and one to Liberty. The team held a players-only meeting on Thursday ahead of Friday’s contest, which Abromavage said contributed to the win. On Saturday, Tech continued the success and won its second consecutive game.
“When our kids came in to hit, they played ‘Who Let the Dogs Out.’ And we call ourselves the dogs,” D’Amour said. “… I said, ‘They’re OK.’”
Are they going to play Baha Men’s 2000 hit ahead of Sunday’s contest, too?
“I don’t know,” D’Amour said. “I don’t have control over the music.”
Now, Virginia Tech has strung together two consecutive wins, including one through unorthodox circumstances on Saturday, and has a chance to sweep the Tar Heels on Sunday at noon ET (ACC Network Extra).
“I think we just proved to ourselves that we know we’re good,” Chatfield said. “We know we’re going to get it done, and we’ve got to let the three losses go.”
Box Score: No. 16 Virginia Tech 14, North Carolina 5 (5 innings)