In their home opener at Tech Softball Park, the Hokies put on a show for the home crowd as they swept the Wolfpack.
After falling to Duke in the ACC opener, No. 14 Virginia Tech (28-4, 4-2) came firing on all cylinders. Great situational hitting and elite pitching put the Hokies back on track in conference play.
Game 1
In the series opener, Emma Mazzarone got the start and halted the Wolfpack early. After a quick top of the first, the Hokies struck first as Zoe Yaeger brought in Addison Foster home with an RBI double.
In the next two innings Mazzarone kept NC State quiet, only finding one runner on base following a fielding error. While the Wolfpack couldn’t find any offense, the Hokies continues add to runs. In the second, a Jordan Lynch clearing-bases double made it a 4-0 game.
In the third frame Kylie Aldridge brought in the first two runs of the inning with an RBI single. Rachel Castine followed with a base knock of her own, bringing in another run, and Lynch capped off the inning with a two-RBI triple to give the Hokies a 9-0 game.
Emma Mazzarone hut down the Wolfpack over the final innings, leading to a run rule to open up the series. She found herself in a no-hit watch, but in the final innings NC State got past her and allowed two hits.
An Aldridge solo shot added a final run to make it a 10-0 win.
Game 2
In game two, NC State found its first runs on the weekend as Lily Livingston got two runs on the board with a two-RBI single. With Sophie Klieman getting the start. Coach Pete D’Amour quickly made the decision to bring in Bree Caricco. She closed out the inning, but not without NC State getting another run on the board.
Virginia Tech’s offense didn't slow, however, matching the Wolfpack’s three runs. A two-RBI double from Nora Abromavage, the tying run came from a wild pitch bringing in Aldridge.
The Hokies took the lead in the second with a solo shot from Castine. In the following she drew a walk to bring in another run.
Bree Carrico continued to impress, shutting down the Wolfpack, taking out the first three batters in her first three full innings. In the fourth the Hokies continued to support the excellent pitching with a four-run fourth inning. Yaeger knocked another hit, bringing in two more runs. Following her were Abromavage and Castine, who both had an RBI single to make it a 9-0 game.
As the Wolfpack continued to struggle against Caricco, the Hokies added two more runs in the final innings, capped off by a Rachel Castine solo shot, to win 11-0 in a six-inning run rule.
Game 3
In the final game the pace took a turn as only three runs were scored in the entire game. Virginia Tech broke the deadlock in the second with an Abromavage solo home run.
Emma Mazzarone got her second start of the weekend and held off the Wolfpack early. Maia Townsend scored on a little-league home run after a throwing error by Castine to tie the game.
After the first two innings, the game 's pace slowed as both pitchers were controlling the game. Both teams only had short hints of scoring as the Hokies got close with the bases loaded. NC State’s Wynne Gore came in and got two straight outs to leave the bases stranded. The Wolfpack had two runners on base but couldn’t capitalize on either.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Castine got things started with a second. With a bunt and groundout pinch runner, Sara McNelly found herself at third. As Jordan Lynch walked, Michelle Chatfield knocked a base hit to left field to walk it off and to clinch a sweep of the Wolfpack in a 2-1 victory.
The Hokies look to continue their streak as they travel north to take on Boston College this weekend.
