CHARLESTON, S.C. – Virginia Tech won both its games Friday against Dartmouth and Army on Day 1 of the Charleston Invitational to start the tournament 2-0.
The Hokies (9-3), who are ranked No. 24 and 25 this week's USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Poll, got winning efforts from pitchers Kaylee Hewitt (4-0) and Keely Rochard (5-3).
Maddi Banks led Tech with four runs batted in against Dartmouth in its 12-2 win in five innings. Banks also ended the game with two hits and two runs scored. Darby Trull powered the Hokies offense to an 8-3 win in Game 2 with four hits, her third-career four-hit game.
Tech had double-digit hits versus both opponents Friday for its fourth and fifth double-digit hit games of the year. The Hokies raked a season-high 14 hits against Army.
GAME 1
Hewitt started her third straight game as she took the mound against Dartmouth Friday morning. The Big Green were able to score two in the first inning, but that would be all they got for the rest of the game.
The Hokies took the lead in the bottom of the second with four runs. Banks got Tech started with a two-run triple to right-center field. Jayme Bailey had an RBI single in the inning to increase the lead to two.
After taking the lead in the second, Tech broke the game open in the third with eight more runs. Again, Banks started the scoring with a bases-loaded single to center, scoring two runs. Meredith Slaw entered the game with the bases loaded and delivered with a two-run single through the right side of the infield. Singles by Grayson Cruce and Ashley Whitley plated the remaining three runs and the Hokies took a 12-2 lead.
Molly Jacobson (0-0) relieved Hewitt in the top of the fourth for her first career appearance and closed out the win for Tech. She pitched the remaining two innings and allowed just one hit.
GAME 2
Jumping on the Black Knights right out of the gate, Tech got an RBI double from Bailey and a Kelsey Bennett RBI single to take a 2-0 lead. After Army got one back in the bottom of the first, the Hokies put two more up in the second with RBI singles from Cruce and Grace Chavez. Trull then singled to score pinch-runner Kate Kobayashi in the third.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Bennett led off the fifth inning and crushed a solo homer to straight-away center for the Hokies' first home run of the tournament. Army scored a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, but Slaw had a pinch-hit double in the top of the seventh to bring in two more for insurance.
Rochard closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh, striking out the side for her 11th, 12th and 13th strikeouts of the game. She pitched her sixth complete game of the season and allowed one earned run.
NOTES
- Banks had a career-high four RBIs against Dartmouth. Her previous high was three against Boston College on April 27, 2019.
- Cruce had two hits in both games Friday for her first career multi-hit games. She is hitting .360 this season.
- Kelsey Brown stole two bases vs. Dartmouth to get to double-digit steals on the season (10). It was her third game this season with two stolen bases.
- The Hokies drew eight walks against Dartmouth, which is the most they've had in a game this season.
- Against Army, Trull became the first Hokie to have four hits in a game since she did it vs. No. 8 Georgia on March 1, 2019. It was Trull's third career four-hit game.
- Rochard had double-digit strikeouts for the fourth time this season versus Army. She had 13 Friday and is averaging over 11 Ks per start.
UP NEXT
The Hokies play another doubleheader on Saturday at the Charleston Invitational, starting the day with Bradley (7-5) at 12:15 p.m. ET and closes with North Carolina A&T (1-8) at 4:45 p.m. ET.
