Virginia Tech Softball: Hokies Capture Series Win in Thrilling 8-7 Victory Over Stanford

Game two of the weekend series clash between the No. 12 Virginia Tech Hokies (27-5, 7-1 ACC) and the No. 16 Stanford Cardinal (24-5, 8-3) produced an electrifying close game from start to finish.

It was a packed house at Tech Softball Park for alumni night, pre-game, every season of Tech Softball was represented on the field.

Emma Mazzarone, the two-way Sophomore, opened the contest in the circle for Tech. Her first appearance since leaving game two of a double-header versus Longwood last Wednesday with a minor leg injury.

This had no effect on Mazzarone's start to the ball game. Retiring her first nine batters faced. Mazzarone was attacking the zone and forcing the Cardinal hitters to roll over into multiple weak groundballs during this sequence.

The Cardinal would turn to Alyssa Houston, who closed out the game last night, to start the game in the circle. Tech would attack her early, with two outs in the first inning, Rachel Castine would double down the left field line to get a rally going for the Hokies.

Bre Peck drew a walk following the double and this called an end to Houston's quick outing. Kylie Chung, the fellow two-way pitcher, entered to take over for Stanford. Chung enters the game and pegs the first two Hokies she sees at the plate, which brings in a run for the Hokies to take a 1-0 lead.

Zoe Yaeger, who had a go-ahead three run homerun in the fourth inning of last nights game, sent a rocket single up the middle to cash in two more leaving the first frame up 3-0.

This three run lead would stand for the Hokies before during the second time through the lineup, with two outs, River Mahler squared up the ball, sending it flying over the left field fence. This was the first hit of the game for the Cardinal.

Running off of the fuel from Mahler's home run, in the ensuing inning, Stanford strings together their own two-out rally to combat Tech's from earlier.

It took three singles for the Cardinal to tie up the ballgame at three a piece. Stanford is quick on the bases, always trying to move up an extra 60 feet.

That wasn't enough for the Stanford attack, Taryn Kern, the leading home run slugger for the Cardinal adds two more runs with her own home run to left field. This first time being down in the series for the Hokies since the fourth inning of game one.

Tech made the change to bring in Sophie Kleiman for the sixth inning to keep this contest within arms reach.

As if it looked like Stanford was about to blow to doors open in Blacksburg, the entire course of the game changed on a dime.

Stanford was threatening with runners on first and second, when Jade Berry smokes the ball into the left center gap. Lyla Blackwell, who entered the game in the fifth inning for a defensive substitution, springs off feet in full stride to rob Berry of a bases clearing knock.

The Cardinal offense was playing the ball as if it would drop so they broke into full stride off contact. Blackwell jumped up and composed herself to fire the ball to second base for the tag-up second out. Castine from second, then fired to first to complete the 7-4-3 triple play. The first triple play in Virginia Tech Softball history.

"It was all about trusting yourself," Blackwell said. "I like to be aggressive and I love to leave my feet." A career highlight play for the Indiana native.

Even though the Hokies were down in the contest, they now stole every ounce of momentum from the Cardinal. Bringing it with them to the bottom of the sixth frame.

Kylie Aldridge got the inning started off hot with a single to open the half inning, and a pinch-hit walk drawn from Jayden Jones set the stage for Cori McMillan. With two outs once again, McMillan found her pitch doubling and tying up the contest 5-5.

There was more to this two RBI double from McMillan than just tying up this conference matchup. It marked her 200th career hit, an incredible achievement for the senior.

"I might have been trying a little to hard for it, because I knew where I was at," McMillan explained. "It couldn't have come at a better time."

An RBI single from Chatfield gave the Hokies the lead and Chatfield advanced to second on the throw to the plate, setting her up in scoring position. It did not matter where Chatfield was standing on the bases however.

Castine fires a homer of her own to increase the Hokies lead to three once more. These extra two runs would prove to be decisive.

Emma Lemley would look to get the close for the Hokies. Stanford had no intention of letting Lemley by easily. Looking to take back the lead they just relinquished, Camryn Carmouche just misses out on a game tying three run bomb, instead she is forced to settle with a bases clearing two RBI double off the fence.

Lemley, the ace of the Hokies, still being faced with pressure from Carmouche in scoring position retires the next two Cardinal bats to sneak out with a narrow 8-7 victory.

The depth defensively the Hokies was the pivotal factor in the game today. "Our defense makes plays," Tech head coach Pete D'Amour explained. "It takes a lot of pressure off of your pitching and a lot of pressure off of your hitting."

Tech is now riding an eight game win streak and will look to keep that going and will look for its second straight ACC series sweep. First pitch is at noon tomorrow at Tech Softball Park. Coverage also available on the ACC Network.

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