Virginia Tech Softball Slugs Past Clemson to Secure Series Win
BLACKSBURG, Va. — With the series tied at one game apiece, Virginia Tech turned to the long ball to fuel its third straight ACC series win, downing Clemson, 10-5, on Saturday night at Tech Softball Park.
Attacked the weekend💥
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) April 5, 2026
The Hokies take the series over Clemson!#Hokies pic.twitter.com/rqXT4qJdoF
"We played well," said Hokies head coach Pete D'Amour. "They scored some runs off us, but we punched back. So, a good night for us."
The Hokies (33-5, 9-3 ACC) started the scoring in the bottom of the first; first baseman Michelle Chatfield singled up the middle to score center fielder Addison Foster and third baseman Jordan Lynch. Foster ended the night 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and a double. The junior is now hitting .435 on the season.
"She sees the strike zone very well," said Hokies shortstop Annika Rohs. "I think just how she sees the ball really helps the rest of the lineup follow her."
Then, designated player Kylie Aldridge lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring left fielder Nora Abromavage and giving Tech a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers (25-15, 7-8 ACC) punched back in the top of the second on third baseman Sarah Breaux's two-run blast to left-center. It was Breaux's second home run in as many days, after she hit a three-run shot in the Tigers' series-opening win.
The Hokies matched Clemson's pair of runs in the bottom of the frame as Lynch mashed the first pitch of her at-bat over the wall in left-center, scoring herself and Foster to bring back Tech's three-run advantage.
Rohs added on in the bottom of the fourth with her first home run of the season and second of her career, sending it into the trees in left-center to put the Hokies up by four.
"I was just thinking, be on time first pitch," Rohs said. "I saw it go up, and I was due, so it felt good, and I was just excited. It was nice to see how excited my teammates were."
"[Rohs] just works so hard," said Hokies left-handed pitcher Emma Mazzarone. "We all just like to sit back and watch her progressively get better from freshman year, especially this year."
Around that point, Mazzarone settled into a rhythm in the circle.
The junior righty started the series opener on Thursday, tossing a full seven innings with four earned runs on four hits in the loss.
After Breaux's home run in the second and the subsequent walk, Mazzarone retired eight consecutive Tigers.
"I was just trying to get in the strike zone," Mazzarone said. "Let my defense work, just trying to bounce back from [Thursday]."
However, her Saturday ended in the fifth after Tigers outfielder Taylor Pipkins launched a solo blast to left, followed by a bunt single from center fielder Jamison Brockenbough and a four-pitch walk to shortstop Kiley Channell.
Mazzarone ended her outing after 4 1/3 frames, yielding four runs (three earned) on four hits, four strikeouts and three walks. Tech turned to right-hander Bree Carrico to close the door.
"We had a lot of talks this fall," Mazzarone said of Carrico. "Last year, she redshirted. She just came out a completely different pitcher, and I think she knows that, too. It's just great to see someone else do even better than me. I love that."
Carrico's first batter, right fielder Macey Cintron, hit a sacrifice grounder to bring the Tigers with two, but second baseman Marian Collins struck out swinging to prevent further damage.
Meanwhile, the Hokies' bats erupted in the bottom of the inning. Abromavage led off the frame with a solo home run to right-center, which forced Clemson starter Sierra Maness out of the game.
Like Mazzarone, Maness threw a complete seven innings in game one of the series, allowing two runs on seven hits.
On Saturday, she exited with seven runs on seven hits over four innings.
"Nothing really [changed]," D'Amour said. "Thursday, hit the ball hard against her. Just kept doing what we were doing."
The call to the bullpen couldn't stymie the Hokies' offense, though. With Chatfield on first and one away, Aldridge launched a home run to right-center that snuck just under the scoreboard.
Then, Addison Foster piled on with a single to left, scoring Gaby Mizelle, who walked earlier in the inning.
The Tigers pulled one back in the sixth on a home run by catcher Corri Hicks, but Carrico retired five of the next seven batters to seal the series victory.
"[Carrico] is killing it this year," Rohs said. "Just knowing the confidence that she has, just with the defense she has behind her and the confidence she has in herself, she's doing amazing this year."
The Hokies' offense has become a relentless force from top to bottom, with all nine starters hitting above .300, and six hitting .370 or better.
"If I was a pitcher, I wouldn't want to hit against that lineup," Rohs said. "I think, when we need it, the bottom of the lineup really rolls over. I think it has helped us in games where we need to hit one through nine."
The Hokies will travel to Radford to face the Highlanders on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET before heading to Charlottesville this weekend to take on No. 17 Virginia.
