The Shadow
DURHAM, N.C. – No. 11 Virginia Tech (23-4) closed out its series at No. 25 Duke (18-10) with a 10-2 run-rule victory on Sunday night.
With the game tied at 2-2, the Hokies’ offense exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth to secure the win.
How It Happened
Virginia Tech struck first with an RBI single to left field by Rachel Castine to score Addison Foster in the top of the second.
Emma Mazzarone tallied three strikeouts in the bottom of the second, but not before Duke got a run across the board. After tallying back-to-back singles, Duke’s Adelyn Matthews singled to third base, with a Blue Devil advancing home on a Virginia Tech error to tie the game at 1-1.
The Hokies punched right back in the top of the third with a solo shot from Jordan Lynch to right center to take back the lead, 2-1.
Duke tied the game once again in the bottom of the fourth and the Hokies wasted no time fighting back. After back-to-back hits from Kylie Aldridge and Zoe Yaeger, Nora Abromavage blasted her team-leading eighth home run of the season to retake the lead at 5-2.
After Gaby Mizelle reached on a fielding error to load the bases, Rachel Castine recorded a sacrifice fly to bring home Lynch.
With runners on first and second, Michelle Chatfield delivered an RBI single to shallow right field to score Foster. With runners on the corners, Aldridge ripped a two-RBI triple to left center to extend the Hokie lead to 9-2.
Tech capped off its eight-run fifth inning with an RBI single through the left side Zoe Yaeger.
Mazzarone shined in the circle, striking out three batters in the bottom of the fifth to secure the run-rule win. She finished the day with eight strikeouts and allowed just five hits over 5.0 innings pitched.
Game Notes
• Tech earned its fifth ranked win of the season
• Tech won its eighth run-rule game of the season
• Tech is now 10-10 in all-time matchups against Duke
• Tech earned its first win in ACC play
• Tech is 8-0 when scoring 10 or more runs
• Six Hokies are currently hitting .380 or better this year
• Jordan Lynch hit her seventh home run of the season
• Nora Abromavage hit her team-leading eighth home run of the season
• Kylie Aldridge hit her second triple of the year
• Emma Mazzarone improves to 6-1 in the circle
Up Next
No. 11 Virginia Tech (23-4) travels to Farmville, Va., for a doubleheader with Longwood on Wednesday, March 18 at 4 p.m.
