No. 23 Virginia Tech Closes Out 2023 Season in Athens
No. 23 Virginia Tech completed its season on Sunday with a 12-3 loss against No. 12 Georgia in the last round of NCAA Regionals in Athens.
Georgia started off hot with five runs in the first and never cooled down, putting runs on the board in four of the six innings. The Dawgs put up 13 hits for 12 runs, four of which found their way over the fence. Sydney Chambley commanded the team with two homers, two singles, and five RBIs; a stat line that rivaled the entire VT crew on Sunday.
Virginia Tech couldn’t get going on the offensive end to combat the Bulldogs, with four Hokies obtaining the team's five hits. Jayme Bailey led the squad with two hits, scoring Emma Ritter on a single during the fourth inning. Cameron Fagan also had a solo shot to right field for the team's third run during the sixth, but the team failed to put together a strong enough rally to extend the game into the seventh inning.
The Hokies' season came to a close with a 39-20 record, going 14-10 in the ACC. Fifth in the conference during the regular season, Tech peaked at No. 9 in the polls, gradually falling toward the bottom of the rankings as the year progressed.
Overall, the Hokies come away with a solid record, a few wins in the postseason, and some great development for freshmen Teagan Thrunk, Kylie Adlridge, and Lyndsey Grein. Sophomores Emma Lemley and Bre Peck certainly grew over the season as well, a welcome sight for the Hokies who expect to lose quite a few seniors, including two All-ACC starters Kelsey Brown and Jayme Bailey alongside third baseman Kelsey Bennett.
