Virginia Tech Softball Run-Rules Duke to Salvage ACC Opening Series

There are two adages in softball:

“Walks wIll kill you” 

“Leaving runners on base will come back to haunt you.”

Both sayings held true to form as #25 Duke took 2-of-3 games from the #11 Hokies in Durham, NC.  Virginia Tech pitchers struggled to find the plate, and Tech batters failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities with situational hitting in the first two games of the series, both losses.

MID-WEEK GAME  - VIRGINIA TECH 14,  ELON  3

Before playing Duke, the Virginia Tech softball team began its swing through the state of North Carolina with a mid-week game at Elon.

The Hokies went into Elon and essentially torched the Phoenix. 

Tech started off the first inning with both third baseman Jordan Lynch and left fielder Nora Abromavage drawing walks from Elon starter Chana Wolfe. First baseman Michelle Chatfield dropped a single to center field to load the bases with no outs.

Catcher Zoey Yaeger hit into a fielder’s choice that took Chatfield out at second but allowed Lynch to score from third and Abromavage to move over to third. Center fielder Addison Foster hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought home Abromavage to give Virginia Tech a 2-0 lead.

The Hokies piled on the runs in the third inning. Abromavage singled to lead off the inning, followed by a walk by Chatfield to put runners at first and second.  Yaeger added to her RBI total with a single to right center that scored Abromavage and advanced Chatfield to third.

Two batters later, designated player Kylie Aldridge knocked in Chatfield with a sacrifice fly to left field. Right fielder Gaby Mizelle singled past short to bring home Yaeger, and then second baseman Rachel Castine doubled to right to score Mizelle from second base and make it 6-0.

 The Hokies added another run in the fourth inning when Yaeger doubled to drive in Lynch. Virginia Tech had carved out a 7-0 lead midway through the game, with Elon in danger of being run-ruled.

True to their name, the Phoenix tried to rise from the ashes in the bottom of the fourth. Hokie freshman Addyson Fisher had gotten her first start of the season and pitched well, scattering two hits over the first three innings. However, after striking out the side in the third, she ran into trouble in the fourth inning. 

Elon’s first two batters - second baseman Greta Hessenthaler and first baseman Teagan Baulsir - reached on walks. Both hitters were replaced by pinchrunners before designated player Jenna Klein doubled to left center to bring home Emily Settle to get Elon on the board.  Tech brought Sophie Kleiman in for Fisher, but a wild pitch by Kleiman allowed Brooke Camacho to score from third - a run that was charged to Fisher.

That was it for Elon. Kleiman settled in to pitch three hitless innings, giving up two walks and striking out four to earn the win and go 5-1 on the season. Addyson Fisher tallied three hits, two runs, two walks, and three strikeouts in her three innings of work.

Elon’s reprieve from being run-ruled was brief as Virginia Tech broke the game open with a seven-run sixth inning.  Short stop Annika Rohs walked, Jordan Lynch doubled, and then Abromavage walked to load the bases for the Hokies.

Chatfield drew a full-count walk that scored Rohs. Yaeger continued producing RBIs, her fourth of the day, when she grounded out to the pitcher to score Lynch. Foster hit her second sacrifice fly, this time to center field, that brought home Abromavage from third and gave Tech a 10-2 lead.

Mizelle added to her RBI total with a single to short that plated Chatfield to make the score 11-2.

To cap Tech’s offensive explosion, Castine hammered the first pitch she saw over the left field fence to score pinchrunner Lily Pallante and Mizelle. Castine’s seventh home run of the season, her fourth in the last four games, gave the Hokies a 14-2 margin that would hold up.

GAME ONE  -  VIRGINIA TECH  6,  DUKE  7

10 WALKS HURT

Virginia Tech (22-2) came into Durham on the back of a 15-game win streak. The Hokies threatened with some noise in the first inning when left fielder Nora Abromavage and first baseman Michelle Chatfield both punched hits to the outfield:  Abromavage muscled hers over the second baseman into centerfield whereas Chatfield dropped one near the left field line. Tech had runners on first and second with one out, with catcher Zoey Yaeger coming to the plate. 

Yaeger flew out meekly to the shallow right field. Then center field Addison Foster sent a grounder to third base that would have gotten Duke out of the inning. However, the third baseman stayed back on the ball, which proceeded to boink off the third base bag.  The Hokies had bases loaded with two outs with the .371 hitting Kylie Aldridge up next. Unfortunately, she popped up to shallow center field, and the Hokie threat was extinguished.

That inning would be a sign of things to come, with Virginia Tech threatening and Duke offering gifts. Whereas Tech could do little with its chances, Duke took advantage of its opportunities.  

Left hander Emma Mazzarone took the mound to start game one and did not have her best stuff. She walked the lead off batter, center fielder D’Auna Jennings, on a full count. After striking out Duke’s star second baseman Aminah Vega with three straight strikes, Mazzarone once again fell behind.  She walked the next two batters to load the bases; all of the base runners were on-board via the walk.

That adage that walks kill held true. Third baseman Tyrina Jones sent a 1-1 pitch over the center field wall for a grand slam that gave Duke a 4-0 lead without the Tech defense being involved in any of the action.

The pattern of Virginia Tech getting runners on base but the Hokies not being able to bring them home continued:

• Second Inning: Right fielder Gaby Mizelle sent a ball deep to center field, but the Duke outfielder made a running catch at the wall.
• Third Inning: Third baseman Jordan Lynch led off the inning with rocket single to center field. Abromavage hit into a fielder’s choice. Chatfield flew out to left field on one pitch. Yeager threatened the wall yet again for the third out.
• Fourth Inning:  Foster hit one hard through first and second base to get on. Aldridge hit a weak grounder to second for a double play. Mizelle walked on four straight pitches, but then second baseman Rachel Castine struck out.
• Fifth Inning: Chatfield flared a hit to the outfield that the outfielder should have caught. Nothing came of the runner on base.

Mazzarone, meanwhile, flirted with disaster. In the second inning, Mizelle made a nice running catch on a sliced ball to right field. After giving up a tough hit, Mazzarone walked another batter to put runners on first and second before getting out of trouble.

She started off the third inning with straight balls that triggered a visit by Yaeger to the mound. The visit didn’t change the situation as Mazzarone walked that batter on a 3-1 count. After getting the next batter to flyout to center field, the Hokies almost turned a double play, but the runner was called safe at first. Mazzarone walked the next batter on four straight balls to put two on before escaping with a flyout to Mizelle in right field. 

Walks come back to haunt you. In the fourth inning, Mazzarone got the first two batters out with a swinging third strike and a throw by Lynch to first. However, Mazzarone walked Aminah Vega, and a wild pitch allowed Vega to move to second. Duke shortstop Jessica Oakland made the Hokies pay with a hit to right field on a full count that scored Vega from second to give Duke a 5-0 cushion.

Duke tacked on a run in the fifth inning when Mazzarone walked the lead-off batter on four straight pitches. After another wild pitch off Yaeger’s glove sent the runner to second, the next batter dropped a 3-1 pitch into short center to put runners at the corners. That was it for Mazzarone. Sophia Kleiman came in relief and gave up a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Duke’s 6th run before getting out of the inning.

Mazzarone was just going to be prone to walks in this game. Her pitches were so inconsistent, flaring high, going low and outside. Even when she struck out batters, it never felt like she could consistently get the ball over the plate. Indeed, of her first 105 pitches into the fifth inning, 54 were balls.

The Hokie Comeback

With Duke edging closer to run-ruling Virginia Tech, the Hokies came roaring back to life in the top of the sixth inning to make it a game. Zoey Yaeger slammed a 2-1 pitch to center fielder that went off the fielder's glove over the wall to put Tech on the board, 6-1.

Two batters later, Kylie Aldridge flared a hit to shallow left field that the left fielder tried to get under but missed, allowing Aldridge to get to second.  National “Freshman to Watch” Gaby Mizelle then launched her fourth round-tripper of the season, a two run home run to center field that brought Virginia Tech back within 6-3. 

Down to Tech’s last three outs In the top of the seventh inning, Michelle Chatfield blasted a huge solo shot to left field to make it 4-0. Yaeger followed that with a walk. Two batters later, Aldridge drilled the first pitch she saw screaming up the middle to put runners at first and second. Mizelle worked the count full before barely missing getting the ball past the shortstop. Instead, it was a fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners.

After Rachel Castine drew two straight balls, Duke switched out pitchers in mid-at-bat. Castine greeted new pitcher Larissa Jacquez with a hit to the left field wall that the fielder could not handle. Two runs scored to tie it up at 6-6 apiece!

Duke Takes It

Virginia Tech could not hold Duke back. Leadoff hitter KK Mathis sent a Sophie Kleiman pitch to the wall that Foster could not haul in, putting the runner at second. 

The Hokies then brought super reliever Bree Carrico in to stop the damage. She got the next two batters out, but, unfortunately, gave up a walk-off double to Duke’s Adelyn Matthews that gave Duke the 7-6 win.

The Hokies made a valiant comeback that fell short. They could not get past the Blue Devils despite opportunities to build momentum throughout the game. Tech outhit Duke 12-to-6, and several Duke miscues opened the door for the Hokies. Unfortunately, Tech left 9 runners on base and were 3-of-10 with runners in scoring position. Mazzarone’s career-high eight walks, part of an overall 10-walk performance by Tech pitchers, was too much to overcome.

Virginia Tech’s (22-3, 0-1 ACC) winning streak ended at 15 games.

GAME TWO  -  VIRGINIA TECH  2,  DUKE  5

NO EXTRA BASE HITS FOR THE HOKIES

Seeking to reverse their fortunes on the second game of the series, the Hokies started freshman Avery Layton. Unfortunately, she did not last long as the Blue Devils jumped on her from the beginning.

Duke lead off hitter D’Auna Jennings ripped the first pitch she saw up the middle for a double. Aminah Vega followed with another first-pitch hit through the gap that scored Jennings for a quick 1-0 Blue Devil lead. After striking out the third batter, Layton walked Layla Lamar on a series of high pitches, and then Tyrina Jones sliced a hit to right field that scored Vega. 

With runners on the corners, Layton walked another batter to load the bases with one out.  She induced first baseman Jayla Stafford to fly out to just behind first base. Second baseman Rachel Castine went over to cover the out, but her back was to home and she double pumped. Her throw home didn’t stop Lamar from scoring. Unfortunately, right fielder Gaby Mizelle was also in position to make the catch and was facing home. She would have been a better option to prevent the tag up.  Duke closed out the first inning with a double past third base that scored its 4th run on four hits and two walks.

Virginia Tech struck back in the top of the second innings. Designated player Kylie Aldridge drew a two-out walk. Right fielder Gaby Mizelle then reached first by outracing the first baseman to the bag, and Rachel Castine hit a grounder that pitcher Mallory Wheeler could not handle, loading the bases.

Haley Luginbill pinch hit for Annika Rohs and delivered. She took a 2-0 pitch straight back up the middle past the pitcher to score two RBIs as Mizelle slid past the catcher’s tag, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

Virginia Tech threatened twice more in the game. The Hokies loaded the bases in the fourth inning with one out when Addison Foster singled, Kylie Aldridge walked, and Rachel Castine singled. Tech could not capitalize as two infield efforts resulted in outs.

The Hokies created another two-out bases loaded situation in the seventh inning via a single and two walks. Kylie Aldridge swung on a 3-1 count, putting the ball in play to the deep second base hole. The throw to first beat Aldridge for the final out.

Meanwhile, Bree Carrico took over for Layton in the top of the second and pitched the final five innings. She gave up four hits and struck out four, but did surrender one run for Duke’s fifth run.

For the second game in a row, Virginia Tech could not bring runners home. The Hokies left ten runners on base and were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. In addition, Tech generated no extra base hits as all eight of its hits went for singles. It was the first time the Hokies had not scored more than two runs in a game since February 14.

Avery Layton (5-1) took her first loss of the season after lasting just one inning, giving up four hits, four runs, and two walks, while striking out two.

GAME THREE  -  VIRGINIA TECH  10,  DUKE  2

With Duke winning the series off of victories in the first two games. Virginia Tech came into Sunday’s game looking to salvage the final game. With the pitching staff struggling with control issues and the batters leaving opportunities on base, the Hokies needed to respond. 

They did.

Ace Emma Mazzarone came back to start the game, and she was much better. As Coach Pete D’Amour said during the broadcast, Mazzarone was more poised than she was on Friday. 

The Tech offense gave Mazzarone support quickly, striking for a run in the second when center fielder Addison Foster drove a double to the center field wall. 

After a wild pitch allowed Foster to get to third, right fielder Gaby Mizelle drew a four-pitch walk to put runners on the corners with one out.  Second baseman Rachel Castine delivered a rip to left right that scored Foster to give the Hokies its first lead of the series.

Tech could have tacked on more, but, when Emma Mazzarone delivered a single up the middle, Tech’s third base coach held Mizelle. With the bases loaded yet again, Chatfield hit into a fielder’s choice with Duke getting the out at home. Duke escaped just giving up the one run.

After Duke came back with a run of its in the bottom of the second inning, Virginia Tech’s third baseman Jordan Lynch homered to right center to wrest the 2-1 lead back for the Hokies.

A rain delay interrupted the action in the fourth inning, and, after play resumed, Duke worked a sacrifice run that tied the game at 2-2.

The Inning

Rain delays can help or hurt teams. They can squash momentum or throw a pitcher off of her grove. In Virginia Tech’s case, the Hokies went ballistic and blew the game open.

Designated player Kylie Aldridge drove a hard grounder to short stop that the fielder bobbled, allowing Aldridge to reach safely. Pinch runner Sarah McNelly replaced her on the paths.

Catcher Zoey Yaeger sent a long fly toward right field that the defender played awkwardly as the ball went over her head and off her glove.  Tech had runners on second and third with no outs.

Left fielder Nora Abromavage stepped to the plate and sent the first pitch she saw over the center field wall for a three-run shot, her eight of the year, to give Virginia Tech a 5-2 lead.

Third baseman Jordan Lynch kept the momentum going by singling up the middle. 

Duke made a pitching change in an effort to slow down the Hokies, but Mallory Wheeler hit Addison Foster on the wrist to put a second base runner on.

Right fielder Gaby Mizelle hit a hard grounder to short stop, who had trouble getting the ball out of her glove for a late, low throw to first. The bases were loaded, still with zero outs.

Second baseman Rachel Castine drove a 3-1 pitch deep to left-center fielder that allowed Lynch to tag from third and make it 6-2.

After shortstop Annika Rohs popped out to third for the second out, first baseman Michelle Chatfield came to the plate. After struggling with the low outside pitch for two and half games, she dropped a hit into the outfield between the second baseman and center fielder to score Foster from second, 7-2. 

Aldridge, batting around, sent a pitch to the left-center field wall that centerfielder Jennings could not get to. Her triple brought two runs home to put Virginia Tech up 9-2.

Yaeger drove a hard grounder past the shortstop, who could only put the tip of the glove on the ball, poking it away to give Yaeger an RBI single as Aldridge scored.

The Hokies hit for the cycle in the inning, with players also reaching base via hit-by-pitch and errors. Lastly, after struggling to connect all series with runners in scoring position, the Hokies were nearly perfect during the eruption. The eight-run inning gave Tech a 10-2 lead and put Duke in run-rule territory.

Mazzarone Dominates

Duke attempted to stave off an early ending to the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mazzarone, who had been good before the rain delay with only three balls on her ledger, put on her super suit and came out throwing flames. 

After falling behind Duke’s Aminah Vega 3-1, Mazzarone came back to strike her out swinging on a full-count rise ball up and away.

Mazzarone greeted Jessica Oakland with a strike and got her swinging at a rising pitch for her second strikeout of the inning.

After walking Lamar on four pitches, Mazzarone set down Tyrina Jones on four pitches, ending the game with another swinging strike on her 100th pitch.

Emma Mazzarone struck out eight batters, all swinging. She only issued four walks to go along with five hits in allowing only one earned run.

The Hokies salvaged a series win and improved to 1-2 in the ACC, 23-4 overall.

PLAYER NOTABLES / STATISTICS

Home Run Watch:

• Nora Abromavage hit her team-leading 8th home run and is tied with four players for second place in the ACC.
• Jordan Lynch hit her 7th home run
• Rachel Castine hit her 7th home run.
• Zoey Yaeger hit her 6th home run.
• Michelle Chatfield hit her 5th home run.
• Gaby Mizelle hit her 4th home run.
• Addison Foster has four home runs on the season.
• Emma Mazzarone has three home runs.

Other Notables:

• Emma Mazzarone won her team leading 6th game of the year and has a 6-1 record. She also has the third highest number of strikeouts in the ACC
• Bree Carrico, Avery Layton, and Sophie Kleiman all have five wins.
• Virginia Tech is second in the ACC with a .370 Batting Average, 48 home runs, 58 doubles, 207 RBI.
• The Hokies pitching staff has the third lowest ERA in the ACC at 2.85. Bree Carrico has the third lowest ERA in the ACC at 1.75.
• Virginia Tech is tied with four other teams for giving up the fewest number of home runs.
• The Hokies have given up the most walks in the ACC with 103.
• Tech’s defense has the second best fielding percentage in the ACC at .977.

RANKINGS

With the two losses to Duke, Virginia Tech fell to between 12th and 14th in the four national polls.

NFCA/Gorout - Ranked the Hokies #12 after being #11 last week.

D1 Softball - Put Tech at #13 after ranking the Hokies at #11 last week.

ESPN.com/USA Softball - Ranked Virginia Tech #14 after being #11 last week.

Softball America -  Dropped Virginia Tech to #14 after being as high as #10 last week.

RPI:  Virginia Tech’s NCAA RPI ranking is 16. Only Florida State (8) and Clemson (15) are rated higher among ACC teams. Nine of the teams ranked higher are SEC teams.

WHAT’S NEXT ON DECK

The Hokies travel to Farmville, Virginia this Wednesday for a double header against Longwood before welcoming NC State for a three-game tilt in Blacksburg over the upcoming weekend.

3/18 (Wednesday)  - Longwood - double header - 4:00 pm

3/20 (Friday) - NC State - 6:00 pm

3/21 (Saturday) - NC State - 2:00 pm

3/22 (Sunday) - NC State - 12:00 pm