The Lancers hosted a doubleheader with the Hokies (25-4), in which No. 14 Virginia Tech came away with the two-game sweep. Virginia Tech looked to get back on track after falling to Duke last weekend.
Game 1
After an impressive first inning from both teams' pitchers, the Hokies got on the board first in the top of the second. A sacrifice fly by Rachel Castine gave Virginia Tech the one-run lead.
After the score, it was a quiet second and third inning, despite Longwood getting two runners on bases in the bottom of the third. Things broke open in the fourth, as the Hokies put up five runs. Castine tallied another RBI with a base hit while the bases were loaded when Kylie Aldridge stepped to the plate. She knocked a single that led to a Longwood fielding error that cleared the bases to made it a six-run lead.
Entering the fifth, Virginia Tech looked to add to the lead and did just that. Another Lancers fielding error gave the Hokies an extra run. Michelle Chatfield put the ball in play with runners at the corners, forcing a fielder's choice and pushing the lead to eight.
Once again, the Hokies reaped the rewards from yet another fielding error, bringing in two after Jordan Bishop put the ball in play. Nora Abromavage and MJ Abernathy both knocked an RBI single to make it a 12-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Addyson Fisher came in for starter Avery Layton to close the game out. She madequick work of the first three batters. The Hokies run-ruled the Lancers 12-0 to win the first of the double header.
Game 2
Early on, Virginia Tech was once again the benefactor of Longwood’s pitching and fielding errors, allowing the Hokies to put runners on bases in the first two innings. However, they couldn’t take advantage, leaving the would-be runs stranded.
In the third inning, the Lancers broke through Sophie Klieman’s pitching to get on the board first from a fielder’s choice. An Addison Foster sacrifice fly later tied the game back up at one in the third inning.
The Hokies then started to find some power, with Zoe Yaeger launching the ball past the fence for a three-run home run to take the lead in the 5th inning. The following inning, Foster had a solo shot and was followed up by a two-run home run from Jordan Lynch in the seventh.
Bree Carrico was brought in the fifth, who shut down the Lancers to give Virginia Tech a 7-1 win.
Virginia Tech fired on all cylinders in their mid-week doubleheader. After scoring 19 runs and surrendering just one, these wins should propel the Hokies into their home opener against NC State this weekend. Game one gets underway at Tech Softball Park on Friday night at 6 PM.
