TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Behind a gem of a game from Kenzie Roark in the circle, and a timely hit from senior Erin Ota, the Virginia Tech softball team upset 21-st ranked Florida State 2-0 Sunday at JoAnne Graf Field.

Tech got the only runs it would need thanks to a two-RBI single by Ota in the third inning. Kristen Froehlich doubled to the gap and moved to third base on Jenna Rhodes’ infield single. After Rhodes stole second base, Ota dropped a single into right field, just over the glove of FSU second baseman Kristie McConn, allowing both runners to score.

The Seminoles had a golden opportunity in the sixth inning to do some damage, but a questionable base-running tactic proved costly. With a runner on third base and two outs in the inning, Ashley Stager drew a walk and tried to sneak to second. But an alert play by the Hokie defense, where Kenzie Roark tossed it to Ota at second base, who then threw it to Beth Walker at first and she tagged Stager before pinch runner Courtney Stager could cross the plate.

Roark (W, 9-11) pitched one of her best games of the season in shutting out the high-powered ‘Noles. She allowed just three hits in the 7.0 innings of work with two walks and four strikeouts. The sophomore picked up her fourth shutout of the season and it was the first shutout for the Hokies since a 1-0 blanking of Western Michigan on March.

Tech had just three hits in the game, the three from Froehlich, Rhodes and Ota in the third inning, but it would be enough as the Hokies improved its ACC record to 4-5.

The win prevented a three-game sweep as the Seminoles won both games yesterday and gives Tech its first win over a nationally ranked team this year in five tries.

Tech will look to continue the momentum built Sunday against Boston College next weekend in Blacksburg. In a change from the usual schedule due to Easter, the two will play a single game on Friday night at 6 o’clock and then play the doubleheader on Saturday at noon.