Another one-run loss to Alabama has ended the season of the Virginia Tech softball team.
No. 15 overall seed Alabama fended off the Hokies 3-2 in an NCAA regional final Sunday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Virginia Tech (43-13) needed to beat Alabama (40-21) in that game to force a decisive Game 2 of the finals.
鈥淎 tough end to our year,鈥 Tech coach Pete D鈥橝mour said on a postgame video conference. 鈥淎 hard place to play.
鈥淛ust a couple bad breaks. We hit some balls hard at people today, just didn鈥檛 get through.
鈥淢ost ballgames when you play regionals against a really good opponent at their place, that鈥檚 usually the difference, is one run.鈥
The Hokies went 2-2 in the four-team, double-elimination regional, including a 4-3 loss to Alabama in the winners bracket final Saturday.
People are also reading…
鈥淭his team could have gone a lot further and we expected to, so this is obviously tough,鈥 Tech right fielder Cori McMillan said on the video conference.
Alabama went 3-0 to win the regional. The Crimson Tide earned a berth in a Super Regional series that will be hosted by No. 2 overall seed Oklahoma.
Tech had eight hits Sunday to Alabama鈥檚 six.
Virginia Tech scored two runs off Alabama starter Catelyn Riley with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning. Michelle Chatfield had a pinch-hit single and Rachel Castine belted a two-run homer.
Alabama鈥檚 Jocelyn Briski, who had gone the distance to beat Tech on Saturday, then entered the game in relief of Riley. Briski struck out McMillan, who was the ACC player of the year. Freshman standout Jordan Lynch hit a foul popup to the catcher to end the game.
鈥淲e hit balls hard off of them,鈥 McMillan said of the Alabama pitchers. 鈥淲e just needed to make a little more (of an) adjustment to be able to drop a couple more than we did.鈥
Riley allowed eight hits and one walk while striking out three in 6 1/3 innings.
Tech ace Emma Lemley (18-8) pitched a six-hit complete game, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out seven.
The Crimson Tide scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
Alabama loaded the bases on a single, a bunt single and a walk. Lemley walked Audrey Vandagriff, bringing home the first run. Lauren Johnson hit a two-RBI single.
鈥淥ther than that one inning, I thought I threw really well,鈥 Lemley said on the video conference. 鈥淚 threw some mixes that I haven鈥檛 thrown all year and I thought I executed it well.鈥
The game marked the end of Lemley鈥檚 college career. Lemley, a senior who graduated from Jefferson Forest High School, will make her pro debut in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League this summer. She struck out 849 batters in her Tech career.
鈥淚鈥檓 really thankful I ended up at Virginia Tech,鈥 Lemley said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have wanted to play anywhere else. This program has made me into who I am now. I鈥檓 so much different than who I came in as. 鈥 And it鈥檚 gotten me to the next level for this summer. So I couldn鈥檛 be more thankful.鈥
It was also the final college game for McMillan, a senior who broke school and ACC single-season records with 31 homers this year. McMillan will also play in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League this summer. She hit 52 homers in two years at Tech after transferring from Radford.
鈥淭wo years wasn鈥檛 enough here,鈥 McMillan said after wiping away tears. 鈥淚f I wouldn鈥檛 have come here, 鈥 I wouldn鈥檛 be able to go (pro). 鈥 I can wholeheartedly thank my coaches for that and the girls that I played with.鈥
It was also the final college game for center fielder Bre Peck, who hit a school-record 54 homers in her career.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to miss this senior class,鈥 D鈥橝mour said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e as important of a class as we had here.鈥
It was also the final college game for junior left fielder Trinity Martin, who graduated in just three years. She had two hits Sunday.
Castine took part in the team鈥檚 Senior Day ceremony this month. But the senior missed most of last season with an injury, so she could be back.
鈥淎s far as I鈥檝e heard, she wants to come back. So we鈥檙e going to talk about it next week,鈥 D鈥橝mour said.
The Hokies were eliminated in an NCAA regional for the third straight year. They lost in the regional finals for the second time in three years. They were seeking to advance to the Super Regionals for the first time since 2022.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been to regionals 鈥 every year that we鈥檝e been here as a coaching staff, so to say we鈥檙e going to blow up everything, that鈥檚 not the case,鈥 D鈥橝mour said. 鈥淲hat do we need to do to get us consistently winning these (regional final) games and get to the Supers and winning the World Series? It鈥檚 kind of the question I ask myself every year.
鈥淲ho鈥檚 going to step up in Lem鈥檚 place? Who鈥檚 going to replace (McMillan)?鈥
