Hokies hammer their way to second straight series sweep

By Ishan Lamba

Staff Writer

March 13, 2022

BLACKSBURG — Hittin' dingers and dealin' Ks.

No. 6 Virginia Tech (18-3, 6-0 Atlantic Coast) did just that Sunday afternoon, holding Syracuse (10-9, 1-5 ACC) to just one run for the third straight game to complete the series sweep with a 6-1 victory.

Tech head coach Pete D'Amour experimented with Tech's lineup a bit, leaving Kelsey Brown out of the starting lineup. Emma Ritter, normally out in right field, subbed in for Brown in left and Morgan Overaitis hopped in for Ritter.

While the lineup was different, one thing stayed the same — Bre Peck's incredible freshman campaign.

Peck started the scoring in the bottom of the second by dismissing a high fastball to the tree beyond the left field wall at Tech Softball Park for a solo shot.

While Keely Rochard dealt strikeout after strikeout to keep the Orange under her thumb, Kelsey Bennett doubled the lead in the fourth, making easy work of a pitch coming right down the pipe for Tech’ second homer of the afternoon.

Mackenzie Lawter joined the fun with a solo homer of her own into center, bringing Tech's lead to 3-0.

While the Hokies had built up a lead on just three swings of the bat, Rochard continued to wheel and deal.

She allowed no hits through five innings, and just and Syracuse base runner reached after being hit by a pitch.

Although the Orange broke the no-hitter in the sixth, they still couldn't get anything going, and the Hokies put the game away in the bottom of the inning.

As Brown re-entered the lineup, she bunted for a single to reach first, then nabbed her ninth stolen base on the season.

Ritter’s single put a second runner on ahead of Peck's second moonshot of the day to give the Hokies a 6-0 lead.

The shutout bid was spoiled in the seventh, courtesy of Kelly Breen's homer into left, but Rochard still ended with 17 strikeouts on the day, matching a career-high.

Virginia Tech and Duke still remain as the only two ACC teams with unblemished conference records.

Up next: The Hokies travel to Boiling Spring, North Carolina, on Tuesday for a road doubleheader against Gardner-Webb, before returning home for a weekend series against UNC.