Virginia Tech Softball: Hokies Punch Rematch Ticket with Bama after Run Rule Victory over Belmont

For the second time in two days, with the double elimination format, the Virginia Tech Hokies (43-12, 18-6 ACC) overran the Belmont Bruins (41-16, 20-7) in a six-inning contest, 11-1.

Going down to the losers' bracket was not the Hokies' plan for regional competition; however, not letting that swindle the team's spirits--Tech was back in the regional final for the eighth time in school history.

Toppling the Bruins over a two-game set with a combined score of 16-1. Utter domination from both sides of the action against a competitive mid-major program.

The Hokies once again saw Maya Johnson in the circle. Johnson is tied with Tech senior Emma Lemley for no-hitters throughout the 2025 campaign, yet the Hokies tallied five runs in the contest on Friday.

It was the Hokies' turn to play visitor at the neutral Rhoades Stadium in Tuscaloosa. Meaning Johnson had circle duties first--and for the third straight game, the Hokies scored in the first.

Freshman Jordan Lynch started the action with a one-out double to centerfield, followed by the Tech catcher duo of Yaeger and Aldridge both reaching on a walk and single, respectively.

With one out and the bases loaded, the situation screams RBI. Bre Peck happened to be up to bat, the Hokies' all-time RBI leader, and she sent a deep fly ball into the outfield. Deep enough for Lynch to tag up and skirt home 60 feet to open the scoring 1-0.

Charlotte Moore entered for Yaeger as a pinch runner, and her legs were put to use when Aldridge got caught in a two-out pickle. Avoiding tags long enough for Moore to get home before an out was applied to Aldridge to end the inning, 2-0.

The Indiana transfer Sophie Kleiman took to the circle with a two-run lead secured. Riding this momentum into a four-batter inning, only suffering a walk to leadoff Bruin bat Baie Ensio in the first.

Emily LeGette has been filling in a first base for Michelle Chatfield since Chatfield suffered a wrist injury in the last series of the season against Florida State. The sophomore LeGette has stepped into the role with full stride, collecting six hits in her five contests since.

In the top of the second, LeGette squared up the delivery from Johnson, earning a solo 240-foot trout around the diamond to extend Tech's lead, 3-0.

With an urgency to break away and coast to the regional final early, Kleiman kept that pace full steam ahead, forcing Emma Barnes, Maddy Balsiger, and Brenna Blume all to roll over to the left side of the infield for a 1-2-3 inning.

Johnson, the national strikeout leader, was not content with allowing the Hokies to do any sort of coasting. Disrupting the momentum with a perfect frame of her own in hopes of igniting a spark within her offensive attack.

The Bruins came close with a solid two-out rally. Speedy pursuit to first base allowed Belmont to beat out back-to-back infield singles before a two-on-two-out walk loaded the bases up for designated player Grace Gressly.

A rocket-line drive into left would have been sure to score multiple against many of the nation's left fielders--an excellent break and an even better timed jump from Trinity Martin ended the two-out rally right there and kept the game scoreless for the Hokies.

PICTURE-PERFECT CATCH 📸#Hokies🥎 pic.twitter.com/qxe5dX3pDe
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) May 17, 2025

Coming within a finger's reach of closing the scoring gap, being eliminated with a spectacular play drained the momentum from Belmont.

Johnson was still determined to keep her squad as close as possible with another scoreless inning. Trinity Martin followed up her catch with a sole hit in the top of the fourth for Tech.

Stringing multiple zeros in a row against the Hokies in the circle is a tough task, as the Hokies are second in the nation in home runs hit.

Two-in-a-row was all Johnson was able to do, as following her solo homerun on Friday, Lynch sent a two-run homer flying over the right field fence, cashing in Annika Rohs alongside her to make the game 5-0.

With more and more offensive insurance being tacked on, Kleiman's freedom in the circle expanded and expanded with each. Only needing seven pitches in the bottom of the fifth to swing back the sides of play.

Tech entered run rule territory with three hits in a row to start the sixth inning. A double from Kylie Aldridge and a single from Bre Peck only allowed Martin's blast to net three RBIs for the Hokies, extending the lead, 8-0.

Michelle Chatfield made her first appearance of the postseason to pinch-hit for Rohs, an at-bat that would go unrecorded in the stat sheet as she drew a walk.

Appearing in the stat sheet for Chatfield, however, was a run scored. By way of the batter who usually stands in front of Chatfield, Cori McMillan. The ACC Player of the Year was the first conference player to ever achieve 30 home runs in a season, and she made it 31 with the two-run jack.

Lynch, capping off her stellar weekend so far in Tuscaloosa, decided McMillan wasn't allowed to have all of the fun for herself, sending a solo-shot over the fence for her first multi-homer game in her career, and finishing off the Hokies scoring, 11-0.

Cassie Grizzard entered to alleviate Kleiman with such a massive lead. A no-stress situation allowed Belmont to tack on a run for the first time in the series against the Hokies on a one-out wild pitch in which Indy Cockrill raced home to make it, 11-1.

With Tech's victory, they have set up a fourth matchup on the season with the Alabama Crimson Tide, who currently lead the series, 2-1. If Tech wishes to advance past the Tuscaloosa Regional and take on the winner of the Norman Regional, the Hokies will need to muster back-to-back victories over the No.15 Crimson Tide.

First pitch for game one of a possible two will be at 2:00 p.m. EST on Sunday with coverage available on ESPN+.

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