Felled By Hot Yellow Jackets Start, Virginia Tech Softball Yields 6-2 Loss to Georgia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. — There are days when a softball team simply doesn't have "it". There are days when a loss just happens.

Virginia Tech softball didn't have it in its game two loss to Georgia Tech, spreading across three hits in the first six frames and allowing nine in that timespan in an eventual 6-2 loss Saturday evening at Tech Softball Park. The Hokies (38-7, 12-5 ACC) have gone 2-1 in each of their last two series (Clemson, UVa.) and can do so again with a game three victory tomorrow.

"Came out and hit some balls hard the first inning, second inning," said Hokies head coach Pete D'Amour. "I think because the result wasn't what we wanted, there was a little bit of letdown in the middle innings. We got it back in the seventh, which was too late."

Final: Yellow Jackets 6, Hokies 2#Hokies pic.twitter.com/xTAFAwkWty
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) April 19, 2026

Georgia Tech (28-23, 9-11 ACC) compiled seven hits across the first three frames, though only two directly led to runs. At the top of the second, the Yellow Jackets placed a runner on first when right fielder Paige Vukadinovich reached on a fielder's choice.

After Vukadinovich stole second, she rounded the bases when shortstop Emma Simon's fifth pitch of her at-bat left the field. The two-out left-center blast put Georgia Tech ahead, 2-0.

Georgia Tech's second homer came at the top of the third when left fielder Alyssa Willer mashed a 2-2 pitch over the left-center wall. The Yellow Jackets found two more hits, though they stranded runners on second and third. However, their stringing together of hits proved enough to wrestle the game away from the Hokies.

Virginia Tech struggled throughout the evening to string together hits. The Hokies went 0-for-7 with two outs, 2-for-17 with runners on base and 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Moreover, Virginia Tech came up empty in both situations when it loaded the bases. Georgia Tech held Virginia Tech's three-through-five hitters — left fielder Nora Abromavage, catcher Kylie Aldridge and designated player Zoe Yaeger — to a 0-for-7 clip and stranded eight Hokies on the basepaths.

Right-hander Bree Carrico, who made her first Saturday start last weekend against UVa., sustained her first loss of the season. Carrico (12-1) threw for three frames, yielding seven hits and three runs (all earned) while striking out two. Though 33 of Carrico's 49 pitches went for strikes, the redshirt freshman also conceded two long balls.

"Just not sharp, but it happens," D'Amour said.

Right-handed freshman Avery Layton spelled Carrico and was solid in the ensuing four frames. She conceded four hits and three runs (two earned), though the bulk came off a sixth inning that enabled Georgia Tech's lead to swell.

"She threw well," D'Amour said. "She was going low 70s and moving it up and down. ... She's working hard, knowing the two kids in front of her have thrown pretty well this year. She looked really good tonight."

In that frame, Yellow Jackets second baseman Madison Duffel reached on a fielding error from Virginia Tech third baseman Jordan Lynch, and made her way to second off a wild pitch. Then, she moved to third off a Gracie King pinch-hit walk that juiced the bases.

Layton yielded three runs in the next two at-bats. On the first sequence, Willer pushed a single to short that bounced off Layton's leg. The sequence plated Simon and second baseman Madison Duffel. On the subsequent at-bat, center fielder Holly Medina's RBI single drove in designated player Raegan Wall. Georgia Tech was efficient Saturday, going 5-for-16 with runners on base and 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Though Layton retired third baseman Gracyn Tucker and first baseman Addison Leschber in three pitches, the damage was already done. In the span of the frame, Georgia Tech's 3-1 advantage ballooned to 6-1.

Yellow Jackets starter Sydnie Watts went 2 2/3 frames in the circle, yielding two hits, a run (earned) and three walks while striking out two. Right-hander Kenley Hilleary manned the fort for the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and a run. She struck out five and allowed only one hit across the fifth and sixth innings.

Virginia Tech made a late push, albeit one that did not turn the tide of the contest. The Hokies' first run had come in the third when it juiced the bases and forced Georgia Tech to turn from Watts to Hilleary. Yaeger drew a full-pitch walk to score shortstop Annika Rohs, but the Hokies did not score again until the proverbial 11th hour.

In the bottom of the seventh, Virginia Tech found itself three outs away from a second-game loss. Rohs and center fielder Addison Foster produced consecutive singles, though Lynch subsequently flew out into center field.

Abromavage's sacrifice fly enabled Rohs to score, but on a 1-2 count, catcher Kylie Aldridge whiffed for strike three, ending the contest and cementing the Hokies' four-run loss.

"I thought we did good," Lynch said. "It just didn't go our way. We hit a lot of balls hard, so I was really proud of us for that. They just didn't fall, but we're going to keep that momentum rolling, keep hitting balls hard tomorrow."

Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech wrap up their series tomorrow, with the rubber match set for noon ET.

"This game is very unforgiving," Lynch said. "Sometimes, you just don't have the best day. I don't really think it's luck. It's just like, this is a game of failure. Losses happen."

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