Tweet

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (1-0)	1	0	0	0	0	2	5	8	10	0
St. Louis (0-2)	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	4	5	2
Jacksonville, FL - 102 Box Score

	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
UNCG (0-1)	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	2
Virginia Tech (2-0)	6	2	0	2	X	10	9	0
Jacksonville, FL - 97 Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Virginia Tech softball team opened up the season in strong fashion Friday, rallying to beat St. Louis 8-4 in a wild affair before rolling to a 10-1, five-inning win over UNCG at the Jacksonville Opening Weekend Tournament at the JU Softball Complex.

In the opener, Tech used a furious two-out rally in the final inning to come back and win. Betty Rose drove in a run in the first inning with a single down the line. Dani Anderson gave the Hokies a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning with a double to deep center and then Rose drove in a third run with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Isabella Corrao, making her collegiate debut, was in control for the first five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth inning. She gave up three soft singles to the Billikens before giving up a grand slam to left field. But her teammates picked her up and rallied back. After the first two batters got out, Lauren Gaskill singled up the middle and then Kylie McGoldrick drew a walk. Anderson came up big with a two-out single down the line to tie it up. Courtney Liddle then blasted a three-run home run off the foul pole and then Rose hit a solo home run to make it 8-4.

Corrao went back to the rubber in the seventh, but let the first two runners on, forcing a pitching change. Freshman Bailey Liddle came in and got a ground out and two strikeouts to end the game and pick up the save.

Gaskill and Anderson led the way with three hits apiece while both Courtney Lidde and Anderson had two hits. Corrao (W, 1-0) went six-plus innings, allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Bailey Liddle (S, 1) got three outs in the seventh, giving up a walk while striking out two.

In the second game of the day, the Hokies rolled to an easy win over UNCG. After giving up a run in the top of the first, Tech exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the inning, capped by a three-run double from freshman Kelsey Mericka. The Hokies added two more runs in the second inning and another two in the fourth to end things early due to the mercy rule.

Courtney Liddle and Anderson each had two hits while Gaskill, McGoldrick, Rose, Mericka and Kristen Froehlich each had one. After giving up a home run in the first inning, junior Jasmin Harrell (W, 1-0) was in control the rest of the way, retiring 13 of the last 14 batters. She allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

Tech (2-0) will be back in action on Saturday, taking on Buffalo at 11:45 a.m., and then playing the host JU Dolphins at 7 p.m.

For updates on Virginia Tech softball, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Softball).