Virginia Tech opened the year with a 5-0 record during this past weekend's Gamecock Invitational behind valiant pitching and timely comebacks.
Game 1
Virginia Tech opened up its season against No. 14 South Carolina. Emma Mazzarone got the start in the circle for the Hokies, and Jori Heard got the nod for the Gamecocks. Both had an impressive first outing, with each allowing one run.
The Gamecocks struck first following a Mazzarone wild pitch after giving up two walks. The freshman Gaby Mizelle quickly tied the game with an RBI single, bringing Jordan Lynch home after with double.
The bottom of the fifth is where South Carolina notch most of its runs, taking advantage of a pitching change to freshman Addyson Fisher. With the bases loaded, South Carolina’s Tate Davis brought in two runs, and the Gamecocks added another off of a throwing error.
Down 4-1, the Hokies had a seven-run sixth inning that started with a Kylie Aldridge first-pitch home run off of South Carolina’s Emma Friedel, who came in for Heard at the start of the inning. Friedel then walked another run in after loading the bases. Friedel’s night came to an early end, and Heard was reinserted to clean things up, but the change didn’t stop the Hokies, who tied the game at 4-4 with a Nora Ambromavage sacrifice fly. A Mazzarone RBI triple gave the Hokies the lead. They earned insurance runs thanks to an error and an RBI double from Aldridge, giving Virginia Tech an 8-4 lead.
Bree Carrico closed out the last two innings for the Hokies to start the year with a win.
Game 2
On day two of the invitational, Virginia Tech took on Binghamton. Sophie Klieman got the start in the circle.
Addyson Foster started the game with a rocket home run to right field to take an early one-run lead in the first inning. In the bottom of the first, the Bearcats tied the game off of a wild pitch, their lone run of the contest.
Both pitchers held their own until Binghamton’s Glover allowed another home run to Emma Mazzarone. Binghamton later made a pitching change in the top of the fifth to Savanna McHale, who immediately gave up a two-RBI double to Zoe Yaeger, allowing Lynch and Michelle Chatfield to score, taking a 4-1 lead.
There were no further runs scored in this one. Bree Carrico secured her first career save, closing out the final two innings in the circle for the Hokies.
Game 3
In the latter of Friday’s double header, Virginia Tech took on Winthrop. On the mound for the Hokies was freshman pitcher Avery Layton, who in her college debut threw a complete-game shutout.
Layton struck out the first three batters she faced, and later sat down two more Gamecock batters in the second inning. In the bottom of the second, Nora Abromavage racked up an RBI double that brought Mizelle in to score, which ultimately was the only run of the entire game.
Virginia Tech’s offense could only muster three hits and two walks, but Mizelle's score was all they needed with the pitching Layton put on display. She surrendered just two hits and walked one, and recorded nine strikeouts.
Game 4
On the penultimate day of the Gamecock invitational, the Hokies had a rematch against Binghamton. Avery Layton started in the circle.
The action began in the third inning, as the Bearcats struck first courtesy of two RBI-singles that gave Binghamton a three-run lead early. The Bearcats were held in check the rest of the way as Bree Carrico surrendered just one hit after facing 10 batters.
The Tech offense kicked into gear in the bottom of the fourth frame, starting with an Abromavage two-run homer that cut the deficit to one. Addyson Foster singled to bring in Addyson Foster to tie the game. Zoe Yaeger then gave the Hokies the lead with an RBI single.
In the fifth, Rohs and Foster recorded RBI singles to bring some insurance runs to make it a 6-3 game. In the succeeding sixth inning, the Hokies put the game away. Chatfield and Aldridge both found their way on base before being pinch-run for, and Jordan Lynch singled to load the bases. In the ensuing at-bat, Ambromavage crushed a grand slam, making it a 10-3 lead for the Hokies. Luginbill, the UMBC transfer, came in to pinch hit and knocked a game-sealing home run to activate the mercy rule.
Game 5
The final game for the Hokies in the Gamecock Invitational was a rematch with No. 14 South Carolina.
Similarly to their previous matchup, the Gamecocks got out to an early 1-0 lead, with Tate Davis recording an RBI double in the first inning. Fast forward another inning, and South Carolina added three more runs thanks to a Kai Byar three-run rocket to center field.
The Hokies rallied quickly in the third inning, starting with back-to-back blasts by Yaeger and Chatfield cut the lead to 4-3. Later in the inning, Aldridge walked and Mizzelle doubled, putting two runners in scoring position, allowing Mazzarone to split the left side gap for a two-RBI double to take a 5-4 lead.
In the fifth inning with two runners on base, Addyson Foster knocked a two-RBI single to give Virginia Tech some breathing room. Both teams added one more run. Carrico picked up another the save in the seventh to close out an 8-5 win for the Hokies.
Emma Mazzrone also had a valiant effort in relief, throwing 95 pitches in four scoreless innings.
Virginia Tech walks away from the Gamecock Invitational 5-0 with a sweep of a top-15 team to start the season. Next weekend, the Hokies head to Charlotte for the Queen City Classic with games against Villanova, Michigan State, and Charlotte.
