No. 17 Virginia Tech’s two run-rule wins over Syracuse on Saturday and Sunday might blend together, so let’s look at the big picture at the end of the regular season before getting into the specifics.
During the last two games against the Orange (18-26, 4-18 ACC) at Skytop Softball Stadium, Tech broke two single-season program records in hits (534) and RBI (416). That goes along with other program benchmarks for runs (436), doubles (105), walks (229) and sacrifice flies (21).
Plus, if the season ended today, the Hokies’ batting average (.362), on-base percentage (.448) and slugging percentage (.656) would be the best in program history. They earned their most regular-season wins since 2019, too.
Tech leads the ACC in the aforementioned hits, RBI, runs, walks, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage categories. In the circle, it is at the top of the conference with 362 strikeouts and a 2.91 earned run average.
The Hokies (44-9, 18-6 ACC) earned the No. 3 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament in Charlottesville and will face either No. 11 seed Pitt or No. 6 seed Virginia on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Here’s the bracket:
Saturday: Virginia Tech 13, Syracuse 2 (5 innings)
Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour worked 14 position players into the blowout — plus starting pitcher Emma Mazzarone, who technically isn’t a position player but knocked an RBI single in the fourth inning.
Second baseman Rachel Castine led the team with three RBIs and designated player Kylie Aldridge followed with two. Mazzarone, left fielder Nora Abromavage, third baseman Jordan Lynch, right fielder Lyla Blackwell and catcher Zoe Yaeger also drove in runs.
For the eighth time in nine contests, the Hokies allowed their opponent to score first. Syracuse designated player Madelyn Lopez reached on a first-inning fielding error. Pitcher Madison Knight and shortstop Jadyn Burney scored in the process, putting the Orange ahead by two.
That was the last time Syracuse scored, though. Mazzarone tossed the first four frames, giving up two runs — though none were earned — and a hit, while accruing four strikeouts and two walks. Sophie Kleiman relieved the last inning, surrendering no hits or runs and racking up a walk and strikeout.
During that time, Tech’s offense erupted. It scored five runs in the third inning, sixth in the fourth and another two in the fifth to bring the team past the run-rule threshold. RBI singles from Abromavage and Aldridge flipped a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 advantage. Castine added another run off a sacrifice fly. Then, right fielder Gaby Mizelle made the score 5-2 when she reached on an error and Aldridge crossed home plate.
In the fourth, Lynch slammed a solo home run with one out. Three batters later, first baseman Michelle Chatfield lined out — but an error scored Abromavage. A single from Yaeger scored pinch runner Lily Pallante and built a six-run lead. Castine then notched a two-run blast, making the score 10-2. For good measure, that brought Mazzarone’s single into left field, bringing around Blackwell.
Plus, two more runs in the fifth. Pallante expanded her team’s lead to 10 when she scored on a wild pitch. Then, Blackwell grounded out to first base, but pinch hitter Charlotte Moore scored in the process.
The Hokies hit 6-for-18 with runners on base, including 5-for-15 with someone in scoring position. On the other hand, Syracuse went 1-for-6 with runners on base and just 1-for-5 with a runner at or past second base.
Sunday: Virginia Tech 12, Syracuse 1 (5 innings)
The finale felt similar to its predecessor in many ways. Namely. The Hokies picked up their third straight run-rule win, and Mazzarone earned her second win in the circle in a row. Moreover, a seven-run fourth inning broke the game open, complementing a six-run fourth inning effort the day before.
Mazzarone tossed the first three innings, surrendering two hits, a run and two walks in the process, while she accrued two punchouts. She left the game in the bottom of the fourth in favor of Avery Layton — with Tech up by eight runs. Layton tossed a frame and struck out three of the six batters she faced — though she walked a batter and gave up a hit in the process. Kleiman ended the game with a shutout frame of her own.
After two scoreless innings for both teams, Abromavage tallied the first runs of the game with a two-run bomb in the top of the third. Burney singled to cut Syracuse’s deficit to one run in the bottom of the frame, then the Hokies scored 10 unanswered runs.
Castine and Yaeger both homered in the fourth. Then, center fielder Addison Foster made the score 5-1 with a double. Chatfield tagged a double of her own to bring around another two runs. Homers from Aldridge and Lynch poured on five more runs, building the final 12-1 lead.
Syracuse threw starting pitcher Julianna Verni at Tech, then followed with Knight to conclude the game. Verni lasted 3 ⅓ innings and surrendered seven hits, six runs — largely from three homers — and two walks. Tech tattooed Knight for another seven hits and six runs across 1 ⅔ frames, which included two more blasts.