BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech softball team picked up a pair of run-rule wins Saturday over Boston College to help head coach Scot Thomas pick up his 500^th career win. In the opener, the Hokies overcame a five-run deficit to come back and win 14-6 and then won 9-1 in the second game. Both games ended in the sixth inning due to the run-ahead rule.

In the opener BC took a 6-1 lead with a five-run second inning, but a three-run triple by Erin Ota in the bottom half of the inning brought the Hokies to back within two runs. In the fourth inning, the Hokies erupted for seven runs to take the lead and control of the game. Ota’s double to the gap tied it up with two more RBI. Whitney Davis singled in a run and Beth Walker drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 8-6. Eventually, Kristen Froehlich drove in a run with a single.

In the sixth inning, Ota finished off her career game, and the game, with a two-RBI double down the line to make it 14-6.

Ota went 4-for-4 with a career-high seven RBI with three doubles and two runs scored. Rhodes picked up four hits and four runs scored, tying the school record. Mariconda had two hits and an RBI while Jessica Everhart had two hits. Davis (RBI), Beth Walker (2 RBI) and Froehlich (RBI) each had a hit.

Abbie Rexrode got the start and went 1.2 innings. She allowed five runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in the no decision. Kenzie Roark went the final 4.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout to pick up the win.

In the second game, Boston College took an early 1-0 lead, but a sacrifice fly by Mariconda tied it up and Beth Walker quickly gave Tech the lead with a monstrous three-run home run in the first inning. Everhart scored on an error in the third inning and Ota’s triple in the fourth plated Rhodes.

Two runs scored on a BC throwing error in the fifth inning and then in the sixth, Beth Walker’s double to the gap allowed Everhart to score from first base to end the game and give Thomas the milestone win.

Beth Walker went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored while Rhodes, Ota and Everhart each had two hits. Davis, Marra Hvozdovic and Amber Walker each had one hit.

Roark (W, 12-11) went the full six innings, allowing one run on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

For the weekend, Rhodes hit an astounding .833, going 10-for-12 with eight runs scored. Everhart hit .714 while Walker hit .667 with six RBI, Ota hit .600 with eight RBI and Mariconda hit .500 with four stolen bases.

The Hokies produced double-digit hit counts in all three games and batted .482 as a team on the weekend. The 32 runs scored are the most in a three-game ACC series for the Hokies, as is 41 hits and 28 RBI.

Thomas now stands with a record of 500-327 as he is in his 13^th season. He is the only coach in the program’s history. He has led the Hokies to back-to-back ACC titles and a berth in the Women’s College World Series last year.

Tech (7-5 ACC) will step out of conference on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Liberty starting at 2 p.m.