From the outside, it’s hard to believe it’s baseball and softball season. The East Coast has been battered by winter weather and record-breaking cold over the past three weeks, but that hasn’t stopped the No. 21 Virginia Tech Hokies softball team.
The Hokies faced the No. 14 South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday in Columbia, S.C., and it briefly looked like the Gamecocks would clinch an easy season-opening victory, but the Hokies exploded for seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead. Sophomore pitcher Bree Carrico shut down USC in the final two innings to preserve Tech’s frustrating road win. Carrico pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three.
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Junior Emma Mazzarone started for Virginia Tech and pitched four solid innings, striking out five and allowing just two hits and one run. Freshman Addison Fisher closed the gap between Mazzarone and Carrico, pitching an inning and allowing three runs (two earned) to earn her first career win.
Mazzarone also drove in two runs, as did senior Kelly Aldridge and freshman second baseman Gabby Mizell. Aldridge hit Virginia Tech’s only home run.
The ladies didn’t have too long to celebrate as they were back in action Friday at the Gamecock Invitational in Columbia, playing doubleheaders against Winthrop and Binghamton.
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Tyco opened the season with a 4-1 win over Binghamton. Addison Fisher Jr. hit the first home run to give the Hokies a 1-0 lead. After Binghamton scored one run in the bottom of the first inning, Mazzaroni hit a solo home run in the fourth to put Tech back in front. Junior catcher Zoe Yaeger hit a two-run double to make it 4-1. Senior pitcher Sophie Kleiman allowed one run in four innings to earn the win, while Carrico pitched three scoreless innings.
Virginia Tech didn’t do much offensively in Game 2, but didn’t need to, as freshman Avery Layton pitched a complete game, allowing just two hits, walking just one batter, and striking out nine to help Virginia Tech win 1-0. Junior Michelle Chatfield had two hits for the Hokies and sophomore Nora Abromavage played in Tech’s lone game.
The Hokies are off to a 3-0 start and will remain in Columbia on Saturday for rematches with Binghamton and South Carolina to complete the Gamecock Invitational.
