Virginia Tech Hokies softball looks to ride first home regional to CWS
BLACKSBURG, Va. (BVM) 鈥� A historic season for the Virginia Tech Hokies softball team had to include a historic highlight. That moment came Sunday during the 2022 NCAA College Softball Bracket Selection Show as the Hokies were given the No. 3 national seed and were made the host of an NCAA Regional round for the first time in program history.
鈥淲e earned it. Really proud of our kids. Our plan worked out,鈥� Hokies head coach Pete D’Amour following the selection show. 鈥淣ow we just got to go out there and win more games.鈥�
For the first time in school history…
饾檹饾櫇饾櫄 饾樈饾櫋饾櫀饾櫂饾櫊饾櫒饾櫁饾櫔饾櫑饾櫆 饾檷饾櫄饾櫆饾櫈饾櫎饾櫍饾櫀饾櫋.
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball)
The Hokies have been among the top teams in the nation throughout the season. Finishing the year an astounding 41-7, Virginia Tech has reached highs the program had never seen before including earning its first time ever being ranked higher than No. 13 in the nation. In fact, the Hokies this season achieved the seven highest in school history, earning weekly rankings in spots No. 8, No. 7, No. 6, No. 5, No. 4, No. 3 and No. 2.
No. 3 in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll
*highest ranking in program historyStarted 13-0 in ACC play
*best start in program history23 runs vs. FSU (April 9)
*most runs in a game in program historyThe Hokies are hot 馃鈾笍
— ACC Network (@accnetwork)
Finishing with a 21-2 conference record, Virginia Tech won the Atlantic Coastal Conference regular season crown en route to the best conference winning percentage in program history. While the team would drop its ACC Championship tournament semifinal game to No. 15 Clemson on May 13, the loss doesn鈥檛 diminish the history made by the program in the regular season.
鈥淭he regular season championship is a big deal for us…Going 21-2 in a league that has six teams ranked in the top 25 speaks to the talent this team has but also how good our chemistry has been,鈥� D鈥橝mour said after clinching the championship in a . 鈥淲e’ve moved our focus to the rest of the year鈥ut we’ll be able to look back when the season is over and realize the regular season record was pretty special.鈥�
饾樇饾樉饾樉 饾檷饾櫄饾櫆饾櫔饾櫋饾櫀饾櫑 饾檸饾櫄饾櫀饾櫒饾櫎饾櫍 饾樉饾櫇饾櫀饾櫌饾櫏饾櫒. 馃弳
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball)
Virginia Tech earned the third-highest winning percentage in the country, ranking behind No. 1 seed Oklahoma and No. 2 seed and ACC rival Florida State. The Hokies earned this through a balanced attack offensively and on the mound as the team finished No. 15 in the country in team batting average, No. 18 in scoring offense and No. 20 in slugging percentage while also finishing No. 7 in strikeout-to-walk ratio and No. 13 in team earned run average.
While the Hokies deploy a solid mix of both youthful and experienced players to achieve their balance, this combination is perhaps best reflected in the team鈥檚 two ace pitchers in senior Keely Rochard and freshman Emma Lemley. The experienced veteran, Rochard came off of a 2021 All-American season with another strong campaign this year where she has a 1.73 ERA over 178 innings pitched with 293 strikeouts to just 51 walks. Her rank her at No. 4 in the country while her average of 11.5 put her also at No. 4 in the country. This performance has gotten national attention as Rochard was not only named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, but also was named one of 10 finalists for USA Softball鈥檚 Collegiate Player of the Year.
While Lemley hasn鈥檛 received the same level of attention as her older counterpart, that hasn鈥檛 stopped the young pitcher from making a name for herself. With a 1.72 ERA over 118 innings pitched with 193 strikeouts and only 38 walks. Though her total rank No. 41 in the country, it is Lemley鈥檚 efficiency getting strikeouts that stands out as her , 11.8, is No. 3 in the nation, even better than her teammate Rochard. The ACC Freshman of the Year, Lemley has drawn national eyes as well as she was also named a finalist for a national award, being named a Top-10 Finalist for Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year.
Possessing two of the nation鈥檚 top arms as well as a balanced unit on both sides of the plate, the Hokies have a chance to make their already historic season even more memorable. Playing in front of their home crowd fans during the regional round for the first time, Virginia Tech could continue its momentum into a super regional round, where it would again host if it wins the regional, and even an appearance in the Women鈥檚 College World Series, where the team hasn鈥檛 appeared since 2008.
鈥淚t’s going to help a lot, especially in this environment,鈥� Rochard about the home field advantage. 鈥淎gain, it really helps that this fanbase has shown up so much this season. We’re used to playing in front of a packed home crowd and I hope that happens for regionals and supers.鈥�
