No. 16 Virginia Tech Splits Doubleheader with Louisville

Caleb Wetzel

March 28, 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On a warm Saturday afternoon at Ulmer Stadium in Louisville, No. 16 Virginia Tech (18-5, 12-5 ACC) split the doubleheader with Louisville (10-13, 4-8 ACC).

Already leading the series 1-0 after a win on Friday, the Hokies took game one of the doubleheader 2-0 behind a dominant pitching performance by ace Keely Rochard.

Louisville won game two of the doubleheader 3-2 behind a two home run game from first baseman Makayla Hurst to give the Cardinals a chance to split the series in the final game on Sunday.

Game 1

In a game that was a pitchers’ duel most of the way, with there only being eight hits between the two teams, Virginia Tech was able to scrape across two runs to win 2-0.

The Cardinals had their best chance to score in the second inning when they were able to load the bases with only one out. Rochard shut down that opportunity by striking out the next two batters to end the threat.

Rochard was dominant and pitched a complete game, only allowing two hits while striking out 12 Cardinals.

Louisville starter Taylor Roby matched Rochard’s pitching for most of the game, leaving the Hokies scoreless for the first five innings. She pitched a complete game as well, only allowing two runs off six hits.

Virginia Tech got their only two runs across in the sixth inning in a scrappy way.

Freshman Addy Greene reached on an error to start the inning to put a runner on second. Sophomore Kelsey Brown followed with a single and then stole second, and sophomore Morgan Overaitis drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly.

Grace Chavez followed by getting the second run in on a sacrifice bunt that scored Brown. Both runs that scored in the inning were unearned, leaving Roby with no earned runs given up on the day.

Game 2

Similar to the first game, the second of the doubleheader was a low-scoring affair, with Louisville winning 3-2.

The Hokies struck first in the game by putting two runs across in the third in a similar way to the first game. Brown and Greene had back-to-back hits to start the inning putting runners on second and third. Sophomore Jayme Bailey drove in Brown on a sacrifice fly and Greene scored on a wild pitch.

Louisville answered with a run of their own, their first of the series, on a lead-off solo home run by Hurst.

Virginia Tech was unable to get anything going on offense after the third inning, and it didn’t get a runner into scoring position for the rest of the game. Pitchers Gabby Holloway and Taylor Roby were able to keep the Hokies offense at bay during the game.

Hokies starter Mackenzie Osborne pitched well, throwing five innings and only allowing one run off of four hits. Rochard came back in to pitch in the sixth looking to close out the last two innings and get the save.

Rochard started off the sixth with a strikeout, but then allowed a single to Roby. Hurst came up to bat next, hitting a deep fly to left field to give the Cardinals the lead.

Down one going into their final at bat, the Hokies looked to get the offense going again. Freshman Emma Ritter started off the inning with a single, and made it around the bases to third after two straight groundouts. Brown, the leadoff hitter, came to bat looking to get the tying run across, but Roby got her to groundout to end the game.

The win for Louisville narrowed Virginia Tech’s series lead to 2-1, with the Cardinals looking to win Sunday’s game and split the series.