Virginia Tech Hokies Softball Ends Stellar Tournament Slate with 11-1 Victory over Bryant

SALEM, VA—The Virginia Tech Hokies hosted an offensive spectacle in the final of the second annual Hokie Invite as they overpowered Bryant, 11-1, in five innings.

Tech (21-2) ends its 2026 tournament schedule with the best record ever achieved in program history. The Hokies were able to sweep four out of their five tournaments.

Tech fell to Michigan State, 7-6, and Charlotte, 4-2, in the Queen City Classic; however, the Hokies finished 6-0 in SEC competition, picking up four ranked wins over No. 14 South Carolina (8-4, 8-5) and No. 12 Georgia (9-3, 9-3).

ANOTHER 5-0 WEEKEND 😤#Hokies pic.twitter.com/ekQ3k9RMkS
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) March 8, 2026

The long ball that had been with Tech all weekend loomed in the contest as well against Bryant (7-11).

Early back-to-back solo jacks from two-way star Emma Mazzarone and freshman catcher Jordan Bishop, for her first career hit, put the Hokies ahead at the top of the second, as they were penciled in as the away team.

"No, she's swinging hard," Hokies head coach Pete D'Amour said if he was surprised Bishop knocked it over the fence. "We're really deep, she hasn't had many opportunities because we are so deep, and then she got her chance and went with it."

The contest against Bryant yielded Bishop's second career start and first behind the dish; her first start came in right field.

"[Bishop] didn't come in as a catcher, we put her back there in January, and now she's catching in the spring," D'Amour said.

Bishop showcased her talent once more just an inning later. With two outs, she launched another solo shot to left center field. Bishop's two shots came against two different Bulldogs pitchers, as well: Starter Lexi Powell and sophomore Chloe Jewitt.

"Just hit the ball hard and put it in play," Bishop exclaimed on her gameplan at the plate.

Jewitt subbed into the game in the second, after shortstop Annika Rohs and first baseman Michelle Chatfield both reached base after Bishop's bomb.

Tech plated Rohs after Jewitt surrendered back-to-back two-out walks to Jordan Lynch and Nora Abromavage.

The Hokies five run inning capped off with a two-RBI double off the bat of Gaby Mizelle, as she tabbed her 21st RBI of the year, good enough for third place in the clubhouse, only trailing behind Abromavage (30) and Zoe Yaeger (26).

The top of the fifth was the final inning that Tech struck, limiting their scoring once again to just three innings of action. Yet, a two-run triple from Chatfield started the scoring in the frame.

Just three pitches later, the Hokies' scoring was finished as outfielder Addison Foster mustered a two-pitch single back up the middle, laying way for Lynch to crank a two-run blast.

Lynch's homer was the 13th of the tournament for Tech, and more impressively, the Hokies didn't send a ball over the fence in the opening game against Michigan.

"We're known for hitting balls hard," D'Amour said. "We got some good balls in the air, and we swung at good pitches."

Three different arms worked the circle for Tech, with freshmen Avery Layton and Addyson Fisher both working through two innings, striking out a combined three batters in their 18 batters faced.

Bryant did plate a run in the bottom of the second on a passed ball; with runners on the corners and two outs, Laniya Lewis was able to race the 60 feet home for the Bulldogs' only run of the contest. Bryant finished the Hokie Invite 0-5, losing all contests by a combined run total of 39-8.

The Hokies begin traditional scheduling now for the rest of the season, alternating between midweek matchups and weekend games against ACC foes in normal three-game sets.

Tech begins next week in North Carolina, starting with Elon on Wednesday, March 11, at 5 p.m. ET and then Duke from Friday, March 13, through Sunday, March 15.