The No. 13 Virginia Tech Hokies are closing out the regular season in dominant fashion, delivering back-to-back blowout wins against Syracuse on the road in New York. On Friday, the Hokies set the tone early with a commanding 12-1 victory, showcasing the explosive offense and stellar pitching that has defined their season.
Virginia Tech wasted no time jumping ahead, as Nora Abromavage and Michelle Chatfield drove in runs to secure a quick 2-0 lead. That early cushion was all the pitching duo of Bree Carrico and Avery Layton needed, as they held Syracuse to just three hits and one run over five innings. But the Hokies' bats were far from finished. In the second inning, Jordan Lynch launched her 16th home run of the season to extend the lead to 5-0, and Addison Foster followed with a two-run double in the third to make it 7-0. After Syracuse managed its only run in the bottom of the third, Rachel Castine answered with a three-run homer, pushing the score to 10-1. Chatfield capped the scoring with a two-run single in the fifth, sealing the Hokies' 17th run-rule victory of the year.
If Friday was impressive, Saturday was even more emphatic. Virginia Tech stormed back from an early 2-0 deficit to dominate the Orange 13-2, notching their 18th run-rule win of the season. After falling behind in the first inning, the Hokies' offense erupted in the third. Abromavage drove in a run to cut the lead to 2-1, and Kylie Aldridge followed with a two-run single to put Tech ahead 3-2. A sacrifice fly from Castine and an error by Syracuse added two more runs, turning a 0-2 hole into a 5-2 lead in the blink of an eye.
The Hokies weren't done yet. In the fourth inning, they added six more runs, including another home run from Lynch, who continues to be a force at the plate. That inning also saw Virginia Tech set new single-season school records for hits and RBIs, a testament to the depth and power of this lineup. Castine also went deep for her 13th homer of the year, while Emma Mazzarone earned her 14th win in the circle.
With the regular-season finale against Syracuse set for Sunday, the Hokies are riding a wave of momentum. Whether it's the early offensive explosions or the ability to rally from behind, this Virginia Tech squad has proven it can dominate in multiple ways. For fans of the game, this is a team to watch—and one that's clearly playing its best softball at the perfect time.