Embedded Files
Miles Jordan
Staff Writer
April 24, 2024
Virginia Tech's Cori McMillan hit two home runs in the Hokies' win over Marshall. (Virginia Tech Athletics)
BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech (37-9-1) took down Marshall (21-24) by a final score of 9-7 on Wednesday evening at Tech Softball Park.
This win not only marked the completion of Tech’s five-game homestand, but also sealed its 11th consecutive victory.
The Hokies started hot, driving in four runs in the first inning to take a commanding 4-0 lead entering the second. However, the Thundering Herd responded, scoring five runs in the top of the second inning to take back a 5-4 lead over the Hokies. Marshall’s dominant second-inning batting silenced Virginia Tech’s home crowd, however, the Hokies did not falter.
Junior outfielder Cori McMillan helped lead the Hokies in the two-run win, recording a hit in all four of her at-bats, including two home runs and four RBIs. Her first home run was a two-run homer in the home half of the second, which allowed the Hokies to regain a 6-5 lead over the Herd, sending Addy Greene to home plate.
“I was looking first pitch, anything close honestly, and they were just putting it where I liked it,” McMillan said. “Honestly, in our opinion, we are just heating up, and that's good going into this weekend.”
However, McMillan wasn't finished, hitting her second home run in the bottom of the fifth, extending the Hokies' lead to 9-6. McMillan totaled four of the Hokies' nine runs and, with those two home runs, has now recorded 18 home runs on the season, now sitting one behind freshman Michelle Chatfield, who has tallied 19 homers on the year.
The night before,Tech defeated rival UVa 6-1, where McMillan hit a home run in the bottom of the third to set a program-record 101 home runs for the Hokies this season. With Virginia Tech’s four home runs recorded on Wednesday against Marshall, the program record now sits at 106 home runs on the season and counting.
While the Hokies were phenomenal at the plate, pitcher Lindsey Grein, who typically starts for Virginia Tech, relieved Emma Mazzarone in the top of the third. She recorded five strikeouts, and only allowed two runs to finish things off.
“We knew that if Mazzarone needed help, someone was going in,” Grein said. “Mazzarone is an amazing pitcher, and I know one day the roles will be reversed someday, too. It's just cool knowing we can have each other's backs because she is a phenomenal athlete … it's fun to have two names in a game.”
Grein only allowed three hits in her five innings pitched and zero walks, steadying the boat for Virginia Tech and allowing them to complete their second victory in two days to increase the teams' confidence for their next road series in New York.
Virginia Tech travels to Syracuse to take on the Orange in a three-game road set starting on Friday at 3 p.m. ET, where the Hokies hope to add to their 11-game win streak and improve their record in the ACC.
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