Hokies survive late scare against Tar Heels, win third-straight series

By Ishan Lamba

Staff Writer

March 19, 2022

BLACKSBURG — A packed house at Tech Softball Park was filled with nervous energy as Kiannah Pierce strolled up to the plate in the top of the seventh.

Pierce followed back-to-back nine-pitch at-bats and represented the go-ahead run with the bases loaded and her team trailing by three. Many fans in the stands felt as though she shouldn’t even be at the plate, as they were displeased with a couple close pitches that broke in favor of North Carolina.

Such was the scene when Keely Rochard, in to relieve a struggling Emma Lemley, delivered the 1-2 pitch.

The ball left the bat with power –– a high, arching ball into centerfield, with no room for error. Darby Trull fought the sun and settled underneath for the game-sealing catch, giving No. 6 Virginia Tech (20-3, 8-0 ACC) a three-run victory over UNC (16-12, 2-3 ACC), 8-5.

While Rochard recorded her third save of the year, it was Lemley who got the start in the circle, and while her line for the day is decent, it was spoiled by two pivotal home runs, the first of which kicked off the scoring.

In the top of the first, Lemley conceded two walks, which included two illegal pitches, a problem she dealt with early in the season.

She would be punished for those walks by Taylor Greene, whose hit kept climbing into left field, slowly stealing away the hope from Kelsey Brown and the VT fans.

Lemley regained control of the inning and sat down the next two batters, but UNC had done the initial damage.

The Hokies managed to get one back in the bottom of the inning, after a trio of singles, followed by a Kelsey Bennett walk. However, despite having just one out and bases loaded, Tech could not capitalize.

After a one-two-three inning from Lemley, the Hokies tied it in the bottom of the second. Lawter singled to lead off but got taken off the bases via a fielder’s choice. Darby Trull replaced her at first, and Cameron Fagan hit the hardest struck ball of the afternoon, launching her first homer of the year into the top of the Tech Softball Park scoreboard.

Lemley struck out two and only allowed Sara Jubas on base after striking her wrist to close out the third, before Tech piled on even more.

After loading the bases again with nobody out, UNC climbed back to get the first two outs.

Brown provided arguably the most important play of the game, with a perfectly laid bunt into no man’s land –– right between the third baseman, pitcher and catcher. It allowed Bre Peck to run home safely from third, and when the ball was finally corralled, an errant throw to third base got away from the shortstop Alex Brown, allowing Jayme Bailey to scamper home for an unearned run.

Tech piled on again in the fourth.

After Addy Greene was called upon to pinch run for Morgan Overaitis following her first-pitch single, she moved ahead to second off a grounder from Bennett, then to third on a wild pitch.

Peck’s stand-up double scored Greene and added a sixth run for Tech.

The Hokies continued to add assurance runs in the fifth, as Fagan’s well placed double into right center scored Trull, who was sitting on first after a walk, scoring Tech’s seventh unanswered run and pushing the lead to 7-3.

UNC got back within striking distance in the top of the sixth.

After consecutive one-two-three innings, Skyler Brooks broke the hitless four-inning long hitless streak with a bunt to third. Jubas sent one just beyond the fence to cut the lead to two. While Lemley managed to get Greene on a fly out, Kiannah Pierce hit a comebacker directly into Lemley’s left shin.

Lemley, who let out an audible yelp as the ball struck her leg, attempted to walk it off, even testing out her plant leg with some pitches. However, given that her condition may not have been 100%, compounded by the two homers she gave up, coach D’Amour thought it best to pull Lemley in favor of his ace.

Rochard gave up a single up the middle and gave Hokie fans a scare after a wayward ball put runners on second and third.

However, Rochard, as cool as could be, delivered two strikeouts to smash the Tar Heels’ hopes.

A solo homer by Peck in the bottom of the sixth gave the Hokies some breathing room and before Rochard was able to close the game out in dramatic fashion.

The Saturday victory gave the Hokies their third consecutive series victory of the season, preserving their perfect conference record. With Duke’s run-rule loss to Clemson earlier in the day, that leaves Virginia Tech alone atop a loaded ACC.

Tech will look to complete its third straight series sweep Sunday at noon.