ATHENS, Ga. – A late rally by Bowling Green spoiled a great pitching effort from Kristin Graham as the Virginia Tech softball team wrapped up play at the Red & Black Showcase with a 3-2 loss to Bowling Green Sunday morning at the UGa Softball Complex.

Graham (L, 0-1) was simply dominant for the Hokies in the circle, but was tagged with the hard-luck loss. The sophomore, pitching in her home state, went a career-high 6.1 innings, recording a career-high seven strikeouts, allowing just one hit - which came in the first inning – and two unearned runs.

After failing to score Saturday, the Hokies wasted little time on Sunday. Whitney Davis drove in Bkaye Smith with a slicing single down the left field line in the first inning to give the Hokies an early lead.

In the seventh inning, the Falcons got the leadoff runner on via error and a walk put two on, forcing a pitching change. Kenzie Roark came in and got an out and had pinch hitter Zada Lines down to her last strike, but Lines waited on a change-up and dumped it into shallow center to score two runs, thus blowing the save opportunity. Another unearned run scored shortly after to make it 3-1. Courtney Liddle led off the seventh with a monstrous home run over the scoreboard, but after a pinch-hit single by Kelsey Hensel, the next three batters got out as the Hokies’ comeback fell short.

Davis, Graham, Kristen Froehlich, Liddle, Hensel and Richelle McGarva had the only hits for the Hokies. Roark went 2/3 of an inning, allowing one unearned run on two hits

Tech (4-5) is scheduled to play a single game against Radford on Wednesday at Tech Softball Park in the home opener, but snow still on the ground could move that contest. Check hokiesports.com for any announcements regarding that game. Tech will head to Columbus, Ga., for the NFCA Leadoff Classic next weekend and will open with Hofstra and No. 6 Missouri on Friday.