ATHENS, Ga. – Following two scoreless innings, No. 24/23 Virginia Tech scored three runs and prevented a late rally to defeat the No. 25 Boston University softball team, 6-1, on Friday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium.

A two-time NFCA All-Region First Team honoree and 2022 NFCA National Freshman of the Year Top-3 finalist, Emma Lemley (21-10) tallied five strikeouts and pitched five scoreless innings against the Terriers (51-9) with the Hokie offense posting a 13-4 advantage in hits. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hokies advanced a runner to second in each of the first two innings, but senior Allison Boaz (21-5) was able to get out of the jam with a pair of ground outs both times.
• VT though started the third with five straight singles, including one that tipped the glove of a diving junior Lauren Nett in right center to grab the lead for good.
• Senior Lizzy Avery entered in relief and prevented further damage with back-to-back strikeouts.
• The Hokies scored their next three runs over the next two innings on two-out singles to extend the lead to 6-0 entering the sixth.
• Graduate student Nicole Amodio started the sixth with a walk to help set up freshman pinch-runner Aimee Metz reaching third on junior Kayla Roncin's infield single and senior Caitlin Coker's walk.
• Metz helped BU avoid the shutout by scoring on an infield error, but the Terriers stranded three on base with a ground out to third.
• BU attempted one more rally in the seventh on back-to-back one-out singles from junior Kate Pryor and Amodio, but VT shut the door with a strikeout and ground out.

GAME NOTES

• Making her first NCAA appearance after missing the 2021 tournament due to injury, Roncin increased her program and Patriot League season record total of hits to 89.
• The Terriers avoided being shut out for the second time this season following an earlier split to Mountain West Conference champion San Diego State and are now 2-1 against the ACC this season with 11-0 win over Boston College and 2-0 victory against Georgia Tech.
• Owner of 97 home runs, VT went homerless for just the 13th time this season, as BU became only the fifth non-conference squad to prevent the Hokies from going yard, joining Tennessee, South Florida, East Carolina and Chattanooga. 
• The Hokies' 13 hits tie the most allowed by BU's pitching staff with Charlotte totaling 13 back on Feb. 23. VT was just the third team this season to earn double-digit hits, as Penn State earned 11 on Feb. 26.
• BU fell to 0-4 all-time against Virginia Tech following a 3-1 regular season loss back in 2010.

UP NEXT

• BU will next face reigning MEAC champion NC Central on Saturday (May 20) at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+ in the first-ever meeting between the two squads.
• The winner will advance to a second elimination game against the loser of the VT and No. 14 Georgia game, which will take place at 1 p.m.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY-VIRGINIA TECH PRESS CONFERENCE EXCERPTS 

Boston University Head Coach Ashley Waters 
On the team's performance… 
"I think for what we talked about and what our game plan was versus what was executed, I would say it was probably the opposite. You know, I think for us it just wasn't sharp, and it wasn't sharp from the first pitch of the game. I think anytime that you can hand over momentum that quickly, you're automatically kind of put on your heels and you're handing that energy and that confidence to another team. I feel like they did a good job of capitalizing on that and continuing to add pressure and us really not responding." 
  
On not allowing extra-base hits by Virginia Tech… 
"I think obviously that was part of the game plan. They had some deep balls, but it's hard. I mean, when you have a really good hitting team, I think they started to shorten up their swings and just do what they needed to do. I think they had some big cuts and obviously some hard-hit balls, but, at the end of the day, any great hitting team is going to find a way. I felt like they kind of generated short game offense and base hit singles and bloop singles and, realistically, that was kind of what I'd say our game is. And I feel like they kind of beat us with our own game."  

Boston University Senior Caitlin Coker 
On what made getting hits on Virginia Tech pitcher Emma Lemley so difficult… 
"I think like coach said we weren't as sharp as we needed to be today and obviously that's not how we wanted to start off this run, but all credit to where credit's due. She's a great competitor, a great pitcher, but I think I think we made her look a little better than we would have liked. So, that just goes back to we need to go back to our game plan, swinging at good pitches, good pitches in the zone." 
 
Virginia Tech Head Coach Pete D'Amour 
Overall game thoughts…  
"I thought a well-played game by us for six and a half innings. Boston University is as good as advertised so it's a good win for us. Tomorrow, we will be ready for whoever comes our way. I don't remember ever losing a first game and winning a regional, so you have to win the first game." 
 
On the hitting today…  
"It is important to be able to scratch runs across anyway you can. Jamie hit two balls that on a normal day are out, and Bennett hit one to the fence. It's not like we were lacking for power. They just didn't go out. When those aren't happening, you have to manufacture runs and that's what we did." 
 
Virginia Tech Sophomore Emma Lemley 
On her own pitching today and preparation… 
"I think just being able to move it up and down and have a good amount of control today was working really well today. I've been prepared to start this game even if I wasn't starting this game. I prepared myself to be out there first inning since we finished up at ACC tournament. So, I think it was just having good practices last week and going into the first game to set the tone, get out a good win, and carry it to the next game." 
 
Virginia Tech Junior Emma Ritter 
On the preparation for Boston University… 
"We prepare well for any team we play. Like I said before, in Regionals every team is scrappy, and any team can beat any team. So, you have to go out and playing hard in every game, so I think it was just to go out and play well and be in the moment."