The Shadow
SALEM, Va. – No. 11 Virginia Tech (20-2) extended its win streak to 13 games with a 7-6 victory over Penn State and an 8-2 win over Radford on Saturday night at the Moyer Sports Complex.
The Hokies’ offense was electric over both games as the squad combined for seven home runs and 15 runs over both wins.
Game One • Virginia Tech 7, Penn State 6
Tech fought back from being down three times to earn the win over the Nittany Lions.
Penn State drew two-bases loaded walks and added a third run in the top of the first, but Tech punched back right away. Back-to-back doubles from Michelle Chatfield and Kylie Aldridge to start the game made it a 3-1 game, and Jordan Lynch tied the game up with a two-run blast to left center.
The Nittany Lions added two more runs in the second off a two-RBI homer and maintained the lead until the bottom of the fourth when Addison Foster and Rachel Castine hit solo home runs, with Castine’s tying the game up at 5-5.
A fielding error by the Hokies drove in a Penn State run, but once again, Tech tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a solo shot to left field by Zoe Yaeger.
All tied up at 6-6 going into the bottom of the sixth, Castine homered for the second time to give the Hokies the lead, 7-6.
In relief, Avery Layton struck out two of the final three batters to secure the 7-6 win.
Game Two • Virginia Tech 8, Radford 2
Tech jumped out to an early 1-0 lead off an RBI single from Gaby Mizelle that scored Addison Foster in the bottom of the second. The Hokies added another run in the bottom of the third off an RBI single by Zoe Yaeger.
In the bottom of the fourth, Rachel Castine recorded her third home run of the day – a two-run shot to center – to extend the Tech lead to 4-0.
With the bases loaded, Nora Abromavage crushed a grand slam – the third of her career – to make it a six-run bottom of the fourth and give Tech an 8-0 lead.
Radford scored a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings but could not cut the deficit any more.
Carrico earned her fifth win of the season as she allowed no earned runs and gave up just three hits with five strikeouts.
Game Notes
• The No. 11 Hokies reached win No. 20 in just 22 games – the fastest the program has ever reached 20 wins
• Tech has now won 13 straight games
• The Hokies are 9-1 this when the opponent scores first
• Tech outhit its opponents for the 18th and 19th times this season
• Tech’s five home runs were the most in a single game this season
• Tech has hit two or more home runs in 12 games this year
• Rachel Castine hit her fourth, fifth and sixth home runs of the season
• Jordan Lynch hit her fifth home run of the year
• Addison Foster hit her fourth homer of the year
• Nora Abromavage hit her team-leading seventh home run of the season
• Three of Abromavage’s eight career home runs are grand slams
• Bree Carrico and Avery Layton both earned wins in the circle
• The Hokies’ staff combined for 19 strikeouts over both games
Up Next
The No. 11 Hokies (20-2) wrap up play at the Hokie Invite with a game against Bryant at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 8 at the Moyer Sports Complex.
