Hokies Softball Drops Game 1 to No. 19 Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — No softball team is perfect. Sometimes, one swing from your opponent can be the deciding factor in the game. Other times, your bats can't get over the hump.
Sometimes, you just lose.
That was the case for No. 11 Virginia Tech (34-6, 9-4 ACC) on Friday night when it fell to No. 19 Virginia, 4-3, at Palmer Park.
"We lost," said Tech head coach Pete D'Amour. "Virginia played really well."
On a 0-1 count with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Cavaliers (37-6, 10-5 ACC) left fielder Kelsey Hackett and catcher Reagan Hickey stood on base as second baseman Alex Call came to bat.
On a 1-2 count, Call blasted a pitch 229 feet to left-center, giving the Hoos a lead they never relinquished.
Alex Call with the long ball puts the Hoos on top of the Hokies 3-1!
— Virginia Softball (@UVASoftball) April 10, 2026
📺 ACCNX#GoHoos | #4for40 | #PeopleMakeThePlace pic.twitter.com/MVo7cEtKuE
"I put [the pitch] where it was supposed to be," said Hokies left-handed pitcher Emma Mazzarone. "All you can do is learn from it."
Mazzarone tossed a full six innings in the loss, with four earned runs on four hits, striking out seven and walking two. Outside of the fourth inning, she allowed just two hits and one run.
"We played good," Mazzarone said. "Just didn't fall our way."
"I thought she did well enough to win," D'Amour said. "The fourth inning just got away from us."
The junior got through the first two innings on 15 pitches and didn't allow a baserunner until Hoos shortstop Jade Hylton hit an infield single with two outs in the bottom of the third.
"I don't think [Virginia] adjusted," Mazzarone said. "Honestly, I think that they just got lucky. I hit my spot. That's what I can do."
Meanwhile, Cavaliers pitcher Eden Bingham went 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits, striking out five and walking four.
"[Bingham had] mixed speeds, was around the strike zone," D'Amour said. "Couldn't sit on one speed or the other."
The Hokies' lone run through the first five innings came in the fourth via designated player Kylie Aldridge, who lined a double off the centerfield wall to score left fielder Nora Abromavage, who drew a seven-pitch walk earlier in the frame.
The Hokies strung together baserunners in the fifth, though not enough to get a run across. Mazzarone and center fielder Addison Foster drew back-to-back walks, but third baseman Jordan Lynch and catcher Zoe Yaeger were both retired to end the inning.
In the sixth, Tech turned traffic into runs. Abromavage drew a leadoff walk, and first baseman Michelle Chatfield grounded into a fielder's choice, though both runners were safe on a throwing error by Call.
After Aldridge grounded into a fielder's choice of her own, second baseman Rachel Castine drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for right fielder Gaby Mizelle.
On a 0-2 count, Mizelle reached on an infield single to plate Aldridge and cut Tech's deficit to two. Two batters later, Foster walked with the bases loaded to bring the Hokies within one, 4-3.
T6 | Getting the job DONE 👏👏
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) April 10, 2026
Gaby Mizelle with the infield single to push across Abromavage!
Hokies 2, Cavaliers 4 #Hokies pic.twitter.com/XVIwGaI1Ul
"I think towards the end we started to get with it a little more," Mazzarone said. "Being the aggressors and just waiting for something to happen."
"We're always going to fight to the end," D'Amour said, "It didn't surprise me."
With two outs and the bases still loaded, Lynch flew out to end the inning as the Cavaliers escaped the jam with their lead intact. The Hokies ended the evening 2-for-12 with runners on base and 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Mazzarone retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to keep the deficit at one heading into the seventh, but the Hokies couldn't get anything going to stay alive.
Yaeger, Abromavage and Chatfield grounded out to end it as Tech fell, 4-3, in game one.
The Hokies and Hoos will meet again in game two on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
"Just flush it," Mazzarone said. "[That mindset is] definitely important tomorrow and in every game, every inning. Just one pitch at a time."
"We have a good record," D'Amour said. "Kids are hitting the crap out of it. We're pitching well. If you dwell on tonight, then you're kind of negating what you've done up to this point. So, just get back in the fight."
