No. 18 virginia tech takes final game against pitt to win series

Caleb Wetzel

March 21, 2021

BLACKSBURG, Va — On a warm Sunday afternoon at Tech Softball Park, No. 18 Virginia Tech (13-3, 8-3 ACC) shutout Pittsburgh (8-12, 3-7) 2-0 to finalize a series win.

The Hokies improved their series win streak to six after winning three of this weekend’s four games. Tech has yet to lose or split a series on the year.

Junior Keely Rochard (11-1) was back in the circle for the Hokies after a dominant performance in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader where she threw a one-hitter and struck out a career-high 19 batters.

The game began with Rochard striking out the side in the top of the first, picking up where she left off last game. Sophomore Kelsey Brown led off the bottom half of the inning with a triple, and scored on a groundout by shortstop Cameron Fagan.

That run proved to be all Rochard would need, as she pitched her second-straight complete game shutout. She also tied her record from Saturday by striking out another 19 batters, giving her 46 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched for the series.

Pittsburgh threatened in the top of the third when catcher Jack Busch reached on an error and followed by stealing second. She reached third on another error but the Panthers failed to bring the run home.

In that same inning, the Hokies scored their only other run of the day after Fagan drove in freshman outfielder Emma Ritter on a single through the right side. Ritter stole second earlier in the inning, enabling her to move into scoring position and eventually score.

For the second straight game, Rochard carried a no-hitter until the late stages of the afternoon. The Panthers didn’t record their first hit until the top of the fifth inning when freshman Cami Compson drove a base hit up the middle.

Pittsburgh was able to get a runner into scoring position again in the sixth when senior LoLo Sanchez walked to lead off the inning. She stole second and third but was left stranded when Rochard struck out three Panther hitters to end the threat.

Rochard recorded all three outs by strikeouts in every inning except for the second and fifth innings.

A bright spot for the Panthers on the day was another solid pitching performance by Junior pitcher Abby Edwards. She pitched all six innings giving up only two runs off five hits.

The Hokies will be back in action on Wednesday taking on Virginia. They’ll play one game at 4 p.m at Tech Softball Park.