Virginia Tech Softball Rides Five-Run Third Inning to Defeat Radford 7-2

RADFORD — It took a five-run top of the third for the No.11/12 Virginia Tech Hokies to propel past the Radford Highlanders on Tuesday, 7-2.

The Hokies (34-5, 9-3 ACC) nearly replicated their 8-2 victory over Radford (18-20, 5-4 Big South) a month prior, on March 7, in the Hokie Invite. The matchup against the Highlanders was also the first non-conference opponent that Tech had seen since its March 18 doubleheader against Longwood.

"Always hard when you're coming off conference series like you just came off of," Hokies head coach Pete D'Amour exclaimed. "You're emotionally invested a little bit more in conference, I always say you make your money in conference."

Down the road W 🛣️#Hokies | @DeltaDentalofVA pic.twitter.com/UjcgXmCZDZ
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) April 7, 2026

Outside of the five-spot in the third, Tech scratched across only two runs across the rest of the game.

After Stetson transfer Addison Foster led off the contest with a home run into right field, Radford starter Madison Sabo worked through the first six outs of the contest by only allowing two Hokies to reach.

When the third frame rolled around, Foster was back up in the leadoff spot, and she moved herself to a 2-for-2 day by working a full-count, and dropping a single into right field, which was followed by a first pitch single from sophomore Jordan Lynch to the other side of the outfield.

Both Foster and Lynch came into score off the bat of Nora Abromavage in the cleanup spot, as she grounded a double down the left-field line.

Abromavage started a string of three RBI hits as first baseman Michelle Chatfield traded places with Abromavage as she drove a more prototypical double into the right-center gap. Chatfield, a junior, with her RBI double, tabbed her 150th career hit in 146 games played for D'Amour.

The Hokies' third inning scoring frenzy was capped off with Tech's second home run of the contest, this one to dead center.

Designated player Kylie Aldridge stepped up with one out, and Chatfield on second, and on a 2-2 count, Aldridge perfectly squared up Sabo's low delivery. Aldridge's swing scooped the softball and sent a rising stinger over the 220-foot decal in center to show the field parameters to make it 6-0.

"I was just starting to foul off a few pitches until I found the pitch I was looking to hit," Aldridge said. "So, [I] found it and then connected with it."

Aldridge's blast against Radford marked her third homer in her last four games, moving her to six on the season which stands just one shot back of her season high, yet she is currently atop of her best season average to date, with a .405 average.

"We have a lot of tough practices in the fall and in the spring," Aldridge said. "Sometimes seeing pitching is a little bit easier after you're trying to hit some balls super hard. I'm finally starting to connect with the ball and seeing the benfits of it."

After eight outs, Sabo's day in the circle was over after allowing six runs across, giving way to the Highlanders junior right-handed arm, Morgan Cooper, who virtually shut down Tech, only allowing two base runners as she collected the final 13 outs of the afternoon.

Cooper retired the first seven Hokie bats she faced, until Chatfield stepped back up for her next at-bat after her RBI-double, this time replicating a dead-center home run of her own, capping Tech's scoring off at seven runs on its third homer of the contest.

After leading the ACC in home runs with 112 last season, the Hokies' three home runs bring them to a total of 73, which still trails the 84 home runs North Carolina leads the conference with.

Two opposite ends of the experience spectrum completed the day in the circle for D'Amour, as freshman starter Avery Layton fired five full innings, allowing just a single run on a sacrifice fly from Highlander second baseman Malli Groves.

"You want to get some kids in that need work," D'Amour said. "[Layton] didn't throw last weekend, and we're going to need her, and same with [Kleiman]."

Layton picked up her seventh victory of the season in her 11th start of the year, passing the ball duties over to senior Sophie Kleiman, who worked through the sixth and seventh innings with just one run coming in off the bat of Groves. Groves was the third single in the seventh frame, bringing in pinch hitter Grace Hogie who started the small rally.

"Layton got better as the game went on, which is expected because she hadn't thrown for a while," D'Amour said.

The Hokies head up to Charlottesville after the midweek victory to take on another ranked ACC opponent in the Virginia Cavaliers. Game one opens on Friday with the first pitch taking place at 6 p.m. ET.