Richardson's relief effort not enough in walk-off loss to Coastal Carolina

Hokies will wrap up five-game road trip tomorrow at South Carolina

March 7, 2017

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Virginia Tech (10-7)	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	4	7	1
Coastal Carolina (17-3)	1	3	0	0	0	0	2	6	11	2
CCU Softball Stadium - 243 Box Score

CONWAY, S.C. - Despite a brilliant relief performance from junior Aysha Richardson, the Virginia Tech softball dropped a tough road game in walk-off fashion to Coastal Carolina, 6-4, on Tuesday evening.

Richardson (1-2) tossed 4.2 innings of relief and struck out seven batters, a career-high. She came on in the third and blanked the Chanticleers (17-3) in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Sophomore Olivia Lattin picked up two RBI and sophomore Emma Strouth had a solo home run for the Hokies (10-7, 2-1 ACC).

Richardson replaced starter Carrie Eberle in the circle in the bottom of the third and picked up two strikeouts, including one on a strike ‘em, out throw ‘em out double play with sophomore Lauren Duff behind the plate.

After Richardson blanked the Chants in the third, Strouth stepped to the plate with one out and sent her fourth home run of the season over the center field fence that trimmed the deficit to three, 4-1.

Richardson allowed a one out single in the fourth but picked up her third and fourth Ks of the night to get out of the inning.

The Tech bats came alive in the fifth as back-to-back singles from junior Caroline Schoenewald and senior Vanessa Gonzalez started the frame. The next batter was junior Breanna Davenport who lofted a ball to left field but was misplayed by the left fielder, allowing Schonenewald to score from second. With runners on second and third and the Hokies trailing by two, 4-2, Lattin sent a first-pitch single to center that scored two runs to tie the game at 4-4.

Richardson continued to keep the Chant batters off balance as she held the home team scoreless in the fifth and escaped a runners on the corners, 0 out situation in the bottom of the sixth unscathed.

Lattin worked a one out walk to give the Hokies a base runner in the top of the seventh but the Chants got out of inning on a double play. Richardson recorded the first two outs in the home half of the seventh but a double followed by a solo home run gave Coastal the walk-off win.

Tech will conclude their five-game road swing tomorrow at 6 p.m. against SEC foe South Carolina in Columbia.

For updates on Virginia Tech softball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Softball