Freshmen Elevate No. 12 Virginia Tech over Abilene Christian and No. 13 Texas

No. 12 Virginia Tech took down No. 13 Texas and Abilene Christian on the first day of the Lone Star State Invitational on Friday.

Virginia Tech dominated the first game on Friday, shutting out Abilene Christian 11-0 in five innings. The Hokies knocked 10 hits during the game while allowing just one to the Wildcats.

Lyndsey Grein pitched a complete game, striking out seven of the 17 batters she faced. Grein, a freshman, claimed yet another win this season, starting her collegiate career a perfect 3-0 in the circle.

Teagan Thrunk, another freshman, sent her first ball over the left field wall for a three-run homer. Thrunk’s shot propelled the Hokies to a 4-0 lead early in the game during the second inning.

Tech kept its momentum headed into the third, taking the game to 9-0 with a series of hits beginning with a single from cleanup hitter Jayme Bailey. Morgan Overaitis, followed with a single of her own, with Kelsey Bennett whacking a double into right center. Kylie Aldridge walked, Thrunk snuck a hit down the right field line, and leadoff Emma Ritter found herself an RBI to knock in the last of five runs in the inning.

In the second game, Tech smashed its way to extra innings with two home runs by Bennett and freshman Emma Jackson in the top of the seventh. In addition to Thrunk’s first career home run, this was also Jackson’s first.

Tied at five runs apiece, the Hokies held their own in the bottom half to bring the game into the eighth. Cameron Fagan immediately drove in Ritter, the automatic runner placed on second base at the start of the extra inning.

Emma Lemley and the Hokies then proceeded to retire Texas’ first three batters to win the game, with the last two batters striking out.

Virginia Tech will continue in the Lone Star State Invitational Saturday, facing Texas Southern before a rematch with Texas. Sunday they’ll conclude their stint in Austin, Texas with another game against Abilene Christian.