Virginia Tech Softball: Hokies Advance To Face Clemson In ACC Semifinals

The No.14 Virginia Tech Hokies (41-10, 18-6 ACC) started their quest in the 2025 ACC tournament quarterfinals against the North Carolina Tar Heels (40-15, 15-10) with a hard-fought 4-0 shutout victory.

Boston's forecast for Thursday had been scattered with rain throughout the day, and it seemed like it was planning on holding off until nighttime. That did not stop the pre-storm mist from haunting the field all evening.

The final game of Thursday's four-game quarterfinal slate proved to be a pitchers' battle early between two dominant ACC arms. Emma Lemley and Kenna Raye Dark threw over 140 innings for their respective programs throughout the regular season.

Two walks from Lexie Roberts and Kat Rodriguez put a runner in scoring position for the Tar Heels, but a hitless frame from Lemley got the Hokies offense up to the plate within five batters.

Similarly, Tech sent up five bats, two of which were successful. ACC Player of the Year Cori McMillan drew a leadoff walk, and catcher Zoe Yaeger notched a one-out single before Dark escaped the inning.

A leadoff single in the top of the second from Kiannah Piece was the only hit North Carolina had in the entire contest--after an 8-5 double play putout on a tag-up to third ended the Tar Heels' offensive momentum.

Senior Trinity Martin got aboard on a four-pitch walk to begin the bottom of the second. Dark from there, recorded three outs in succession, ending the inning with a swinging strikeout to Rachel Castine.

Tech and North Carolina were searching for a run to open up the contest and pull ahead--Lemley and Dark had no intentions of letting up their relentless performances in the circle, with Lemley firing a perfect frame with 2 K's in the top of the third.

The Hokies' second hit of the game came when the lineup rolled around in the third, and Yaeger stepped back up to the plate and collected another single for the only action in the frame for either squad.

Another baserunner wouldn't come into fruition for either squad until the fifth, when the Tar Heel situated behind the plate, Rayna Blackwell, earned a free 60 feet with a full-count walk. Nine-hole batter for North Carolina, Grace Jackson, also worked a full count of her own in the fifth. Hers came with two outs, and she fell victim to Lemley's fourth strikeout of the evening.

Each squad was able to obtain a base runner here and there throughout the innings, for the most part, but that was it. Never a rally from either squad, just a single or walk that ultimately resulted in a left on base for the team.

Tech put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth for the first time since the first inning, after McMillan drew her second walk of the contest and freshman Jordan Lynch singled right behind her. Yaeger flew out with two outs to take the contest to the sixth--Yaeger's first time not reaching in the ballgame yet the two concurrent base runners sparked some momentum for the Hokies.

Lemley's third perfect frame of the quarterfinal came at the best time to keep the Hokies' offensive attack going--after feeling short-lived in the bottom of the fifth.

Wasting no time in the sixth, designated player Kylie Aldridge sliced a double down the right field line, which quickly turned into bases loaded after a single from Martin and an error by Rodriguez at second placed Emily LeGette at first.

Coming off the bench in her freshman season to pinch-hit in the ACC tournament was a big task for Nora Abromavage, who appeared in just under half of Tech's games this season. Not to mention a two-out bases-loaded scenario in the sixth inning of a game still looking for the first run.

Abromavage stepped up to the plate with a veteran-like approach, choking up on her bat and pushing a ball through the 3-4 gap in the infield to give the Hokies the lead, 2-0.

Any lead in May can be erased in a moment's notice, so for good measure, following the RBI single from Abromavage, McMillan follows up with a bases-clearing double to add some insurance on for Tech, 4-0.

Lemley picked up another complete game shutout on her impressive senior campaign, three batters later--punching the Hokies ticket into the semifinals for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

The Hokies will square up against a team they haven't seen in over two years, the Clemson Tigers, who are the two seed in the tournament after the Hokies dropped two of three in the series finale against the Seminoles.

The lower seed team has squeaked away with the victory in each of the eight games to open the ACC tournament. The Hokies might have to break this curse tomorrow if they want a chance at the finals--a place D'Amour has yet to lead his squad to in his six previous seasons with Tech.

More weather concerns have moved the original first pitch times up three hours, with the Hokies' semifinal game now taking place Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Related Links

2025 ACC Softball Tournament Bracket: Times and Matchups for Semifinals Set

Exit Light, Enter Metallica: Metallica Takes Center Stage At Lane Stadium

2025 ACC Softball Tournament Bracket: Times and Matchups For the Quarterfinals Set