Five-Run Sixth Gives No. 19 Hokies Victory

Liberty tied the game with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth inning, but five walks led to five runs in the bottom of the frame to help No. 19 Virginia Tech earn a 7-2 opening-game victory over Liberty, Wednesday afternoon, at the Tech Softball Park.

The victory, coming on the one-year anniversary of its campus tragedy where 32 students and faculty members lost their lives, ups the Hokies' season record to 35-11.

With the loss, Liberty, which honored the memories of those lives lost by giving each Virginia Tech player a white carnation before the opening pitch, falls to 9-30-1 on the season.

The contest remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when the homestanding Hokies put the game's first run on the scoreboard.

Lead-off hitter Jenna Rhodes opened the frame by drawing a walk. After swiping her second stolen base of the game and 32nd of the year, Rhodes continued to move station to station when Erin Ota laid down a successful sacrifice bunt.

Charisse Mariconda followed by poking a single into right, when the junior got the bat on the ball with a three-quarter swing to drive in her team-high 29th RBI of the year, and stake the Hokies to a 1-0 lead.

Virginia Tech added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to an inning-opening fielding error. Anna Zitt started the inning by lofting a high fly ball to the gap in left; however, Shannon McKain couldn't completely fight off the sun, allowing the ball to fall out of her glove and give the No. 9 batter second base.

The Hokies continued to manufacture runs, as Zitt moved to third on a Rhodes' sacrifice bunt and cross the plate on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Mariconda, pushing the margin to two runs for Virginia Tech, 2-0.

Liberty broke a string of 12-hitless inning in the top of the sixth inning, when Amber DePasquale got a check-swing single down the third-base line to end Angela Tincher's no-hit bid.

Two batters later, Ashley Williams clocked her second home run in as many days, belting a 2-1 pitch well over the fence in straightaway center field to knot the game at 2-2.

The round tripper was the senior's team-leading sixth of the year and 39th of her career. The homer was also Williams' 229th career hit, tying her with Jessica Moore for first place on the Lady Flames' all-time career hits list.

However, the Hokies put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth inning with five runs, which were aided by five walks and a single hit.

Starting pitcher Tiffani Smith tossed back-to-back one-out walks, chasing the freshman from the pitcher's circle. However, reliever Sarah Ellis did not show much more control than her starting counterpart, walking her first batter faced to load the bases.

Zitt grounded to third base, but J'nae Jefferson's throw to the plate clipped off of Beth Walker's helmet on the fielder's choice play to account for the inning's first run.

Ellis continued to struggle to find the plate, walking two more batters to plate two additional runs. Mariconda capped off the five-run frame with a two-run single through the left side of the drawn-in infield, plating Zitt and Rhodes to give Virginia Tech the final five-run cushion, 7-2.

Liberty got two additional hits during the top of the seventh inning, attempting to mount one last threat, but Tincher picked up three of her game-high 17 strikeouts to halt the rally and secure the victory.

The senior, who is a national player of the year candidate, upped her record to 25-5 on the year with win. She tossed her 21st complete game, allowing two runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out the most Lady Flames since Virginia Tech fanned 22 batters in a nine-inning game on May 1, 2007.

Smith suffered the loss to fall to 2-9 on the year, as the freshman allowed four runs on two hits over 5 1/3 innings of work. Ellis finished off the final 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and a hit.

Liberty's pair of pitchers finished the game by walking nine batters, marking a new season high. Smith issued six free passes, while Ellis walked three batters.

Mariconda was the Hokies' offensive star, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Rhodes finished the game 1-for-1 with two runs scored.

Liberty, who out hit the Hokies five to three in the contest, spread its five base hits among five different players. Williams led the way by going 1-for-2 with the two-run blast in the sixth.

Following a 25-minute intermission, the Lady Flames and the Hokies will return to the Tech Softball Park to play the second game of today's non-conference doubleheader.

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Five-Run Sixth Gives No. 19 Hokies Victory

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Team Stats

Cassie Hendrix

Amber DePasquale

Ashley Williams

Keely McMillon