8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Virginia Tech 1 0 0 0 3 0 4 8 9 0 Lafayette 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Box Score 0

CONWAY, S.C. - Virginia Tech scored four runs in the seventh inning to pull away to an 8-0 win over Lafayette in the Leopards' finale of Coastal Carolina's Kickin' Chicken Classic.

Virginia Tech starting pitcher Mickaela Aiken held the Lafayette offense in check, surrendering only a single to Allison Brown in the second inning. Brown was the only Leopard baserunner on the afternoon as Aiken struck out three and did not walk a batter.

The Hokies scored all the offense they needed in the first inning as Vanessa Gonzalez drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the first inning.

Lafayette starter Kristyn Marinelli went unscathed until the fifth inning when Aiken doubled to drive in three runs. Virginia Tech led 4-0. The Hokies pushed across four more runs in the seventh inning. Elizabeth Birle (solo) and Breanna Davenport (three-run) each belted home runs to account for the scoring, part of the nine hits that Marinelli (0-1) gave up in the game. She struck out six but walked seven.

"The score doesn't tell the whole story at all. Kristyn Marinelli pitched very well. The 'double' in the 5th was a wind blown pop up that started in left field and land in short center field. It would have been the last out and even in the 7th she was one out and one strike away from closing it out," said Lafayette head coach Jexx Varner. "We didn't hit the ball as hard as we needed to but our ABs were good and we faced as good of pitching as we will all season. Today was a positive step and we got better each day this weekend. We don't believe in moral victories but today was a victory in the process and development of this team."

Freshman utility player Jenna Didio was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Leopards will have the next week off from competition, before returning to play March 7-8 at the UMBC Dawg Pound Invitational.