Louisville Falls to No. 19/16 Virginia Tech in ACC Series Opener

Friday, March 26

LOUISVILLE, KY

7:00 P.M.

University of Louisville

9-12, 0

VIRGINIA TECH

17-4, 0

Virginia Tech

Louisville

Louisville Falls to No. 19/16 Virginia Tech in ACC Series Opener

March 26, 2021 | Softball

Box Score

By: Nicole Venema

LOUISVILLE, Ky. The University of Louisville softball team fell 3-0 to No. 19/16 Virginia Tech in the ACC series opener Friday evening at Ulmer Stadium. The teams will meet again in a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Louisville (9-12, 3-7 ACC) had scoring opportunities when Taylor Roby posted the first hit of the team in the bottom of the first. Freshman, Taryn Weddle crushed a double to left centerfield in the fourth, ending Virginia Tech pitcher Keely Rochard's streak of four straight one-hitters.

The game remained scoreless until Virginia Tech (17-4, 11-4 ACC) took a 3-0 lead at the top of the fifth inning. Back-to-back singles by Alexa Millius and Emma Ritter followed by Mackenzie Lawter's sacrifice bunt put runners in scoring position. Both runners were safe at the plate on a pair of RBI fielder's choices and Jayme Bailey's single plated Kelsey Brown for the final run of the game.

The Hokies threatened to extend their lead in the sixth when Morgan Overaitis walked but a hit to shallow left field hit was picked off by Elana Ornelas who teamed with Maddy Newman and Makayla Hurts for a 5-4-3 double play. Payton Hudson closed out the inning with a strikeout.

Louisville put another runner on when Carmyn Greenwood singled at the bottom of the sixth, but the Cards couldn't bring her home and remained scoreless through the remainder of the game.

Leonhardt (0-4) took the loss for the Cards, surrendering three earned runs on three hits in 2.0 innings. Roby delivered four strikeouts in 3.0 innings and Payton Hudson gave up one hit and posted two strikeouts in 2.0 inning of work.

Rochard (13-1) clinched the win for the Hokies, striking out 16 in the complete game shutout, while scattering three hits and walking one. Ritter was 2-for-2 with one run to lead the Hokies at the plate.