After a week in which No. 17 Virginia Tech (41-9, 15-6 ACC) fell in three straight games, they answered with a series sweep against North Carolina in a much-needed series sweep to put them back in control of their season and keep their chances of hosting postseason softball alive.
Game 1: Virginia Tech 6, North Carolina 5
The Tar Heels started the series off well. In the second inning of game one, North Carolina took a one-run lead with a home run by Raegan Jennings off Bree Carrico.
A few innings later, in the fourth, Michelle Chatfield tied the game with a solo home run. Soon, the lead doubled as Rachel Castine knocked an RBI double, giving Tech the lead.
That began a back-and-forth game between the Hokies and the Tar Heels. In the fifth, North Carolina loaded the bases against Carrico. A single by Michele Tarpey brought in two runners to give UNC a 3-2 lead, but she couldn’t do any more damage.
The Hokies then reclaimed the lead. After loading the bases, Jordan Bishop was hit by a pitch, tying the game up. Addison Foster then walked to take back a one-run lead. Similar to UNC, the Hokies couldn’t do much more.
In the seventh, Emma Mazzarone entered the circle to close the game out. However, after two straight walks, the Tar Heels tied the game up with an RBI single. A few batters later, a wild pitch gave an opening for UNC to take the one-run lead back.
Tech now trailed by one in the bottom of the seventh. After a Chatfield walk and a groundout, Nora Abromavage came to the plate. With no hesitation, she blasted the pitch into the trees, securing a 6-5 walk-off win in game one.
Game 2: Virginia Tech 14, North Carolina 5
With Mazzarone set to start this game in the circle, the bases were quickly loaded in the first inning. Shelby Barbee broke through first with a three-RBI double.
Shortly after the game was paused due to a rain delay, and approximately two hours later, the game picked back up with Avery Layton coming in for Emma Mazzarone.
The Hokies matched the Tar Heels in the first. Chatfield split the infield to bring in a runner, then Zoe Yaeger doubled to center field, scoring two more to tie the game. However, it didn’t last long, with the Tar Heels adding two with a fielding error, taking a 5-3 lead.
That would be the last of North Carolina’s scoring for the day as the Hokies, or mainly Michelle Chatfield, rained on their parade. Starting with a grand slam by Chatfield. An inning later in the third, she blasted another home run to score three. Taking a 10-5 lead.
In the fifth inning, Chatfield wasn’t done just yet. A leadoff solo shot added to her spectacular day. Tallying nine RBIs in the game. Her teammates followed suit as Abromavage had a solo home run, and then shortly after, Gabby Mizelle walked it off with a two-run home run. The Hokies took game two 14-5.
Game 3: Virginia Tech 5, North Carolina 4
Once again, the Tar Heels opened up the game with the first run. Emily LeGette took care of Bree Carrico’s pitch, opening the game with a solo homer. However, the Hokies remained unfazed by the early deficit. Kylie Aldridge gave Tech the early lead with a three-run shot to center field.
The Tar Heels answered back in the third. LeGette knocked a base hit through the right side of the infield to score one. She later scored off a Tarpey triple, tying the game at three.
In the next two innings,s the pitchers held their own, limiting the early offense, until LeGette notched her third RBI of the game with a groundout. Helping take a one-run lead back in the fifth.
Down 4-3, the Hokies looked to have one more comeback left in them. Abromavage got the rally started by knocking a double to left-center. Yaeger then flew out, leaving Rachel Castine at the plate. Four pitches in, she leveled the pitch and crushed it over the center field fence, giving the Hokies a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth.
The Tar Heels didn’t go out quietly. Three batters in and with two outs, Emma Mazzarone came in for Bree Carrico. Mazzarone walked and hit the first two batters she faced. With the bases loaded, Mazzarone stayed in the game and got out of her own jam by forcing Tarpey into a flyout to secure the series sweep.
It was a much-needed showcase from the Hokies after their three-game skid. They’ll now enter their final ACC series in the regular season, traveling to Syracuse this weekend before the ACC championships on begin on May 6.
