No. 11 Virginia Tech holds off No. 16 Stanford in series opener
Caelan Koch thought she had earned the game-tying walk until home plate umpire Eddie Hall called a late strike in the 3-1 count. Koch rolled over on the next pitch, leaving the bases loaded and No. 16 Virginia Tech secured the 4-3 win over No. 11 Stanford.
Pete D’Amour turned to closer Sophie Kleiman in the seventh after six innings of Emma Lemley. The Cardinal took advantage of it. First of the first rout batters in the inning singled to score the first run.
D’Amour turned back to Lemley to secure the win, which she did. Lemley earned her 12th win of the season, allowing two runs on four hits. Joie Economides drew a walk to load the bases with two outs before Koch’s grounder ended it.
Stanford got to the Virginia Tech ace the second time through the order. Taryn Kern led off the third innings with a solo homer. Kyra Chan singled in another run after Lemley walked a pair of Stanford batters.
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After struggling to square up and even find a hit against Stanford freshman lefty Zoe Prystajko, the Hokies got on the board in the fourth. Jordan Lynch found the team’s first hit. Kylie Aldridge then drew a walk to give Zoe Yaeger a chance. She cashed in. Yaeger lined a ball down the left-field line that just stayed inside the foul pole for a three-run home run.
Virginia Tech added a much-needed insurance run in the sixth. Lynch and Aldridge led off the frame with a double and single. Lynch came in to score on a groundout, which ended up being the difference in the game.
The Hokies try to clinch the series on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Virginia Tech will likely start Emma Mazzarone (6-2, 3.29), while Stanford could start any of Prystajko, Kylie Chung or Alyssa Houston, who all threw in Friday’s contest.
