VIRGINIA TECH, NORTH CAROLINA CLAIM ACC SOFTBALL WEEKLY HONORS
from www.theacc.com:
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Virginia Tech outfielder Emma Strouth(Southeast Guilford HS) and North Carolina Pitcher Brittany Pickett have been selected as the ACC Softball Co-Players of the Week, and Virginia Tech’s Keely Rochard has been named Pitcher of the Week.
Strouth shined in the Hokies’ 12-0 win over top-20 James Madison and a sweep over Virginia. The senior from Julian, North Carolina racked up seven RBI and went 7-for-15 at the plate (.467), getting a hit in each game for Virginia Tech. Strouth went 2 for 3 with two RBIs in the win over James Madison to help the Hokies get their first win over a ranked opponent at home since 2016 and their second ranked win of the season. She slugged a 1.067, recorded five total runs and had two home runs.
Pickett was instrumental in North Carolina’s series win over top-five Florida State and wins over Coastal Carolina and Liberty. The junior from Indiana Trail, North Carolina, began the week with a three-run shot against Coastal Carolina, and her week was highlighted by two home runs in the series opener against No. 3 Florida State, scoring four runs. Pickett drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the ninth in the first game of the doubleheader. She racked up eight RBI and recorded three home runs on the week.
Rochard, the USA Softball Player of the Week and NFCA Pitcher of the Week, tossed a perfect game against top-20 JMU, marking the Hokies’ seventh in program history and the first-ever against a ranked opponent. The sophomore from Williamsburg, Virginia, followed the flawless performance by allowing a leadoff hit versus Virginia, then retiring 21 batters in a row. She has retired 36 of the last 37 batters she has faced, struckout 16 batters, only allowed an opponent batting average of .019 and didn’t allow a single run on the week. Her perfect game was her third no-hitter this season.
ACC Softball Player of the Week
Feb. 12 – Caitlyn Nolan, Sr., SS, Virginia Tech
Feb. 19 – Zoe Casas, Sr., OF, Florida State
Feb. 26 – Cali Harrod, Sr., SS, Florida State | Brigette Nordberg, Jr., IF, NC State
March 5 – Katie Marino, Jr., IF, Notre Dame | Kelsey Bennett, Fr., IF, Virginia Tech
March 12 – Lacy Smith, Sr., 1B, Virginia
March 19 – Rebecca Chung, Fr., C/DP, Louisville | Cait Brooks, Sr., P/IF, Notre Dame
March 26 – Carsyn Gordon, Sr., IF, Florida State
April 2 – Kristina Foreman, Fr., 3B, Duke | Kelsey Bennett, Fr., IF, Virginia Tech
April 9 – MK Bonamy, Sr., IF, Notre Dame
April 16 – Emma Strouth, Sr., OF, Virginia Tech | Brittany Pickett, P, Jr., North Carolina
from the Virginia Tech Hokies website:
Strouth tabbed ACC Player of the Week, Rochard earns four weekly awards
Two Hokies rack up five combined awards after stellar weeks
Virginia Tech’s Keely Rochard has earned national player/pitcher of the week by three different organizations, as well as ACC Pitcher of the Week, and Emma Strouth was tabbed ACC Co-Player of the Week, as announced by the organizations on Tuesday.
Rochard picks up her second NFCA and Fastpitch News Pitcher of the Week honors this season, while earning her first USA Softball Player of the Week. Strouth earns her first weekly honor from the league office this spring, while Rochard gets her third ACC honor this season.
Rochard threw a perfect game against then-No. 20/17 JMU (31-7, 11-1 CAA) last Wednesday, marking the No. 21/20 Hokies’ (37-6, 16-2 ACC) seventh in program history and the first-ever against a ranked opponent. She would follow it up with pretty much another perfect game, allowing a leadoff hit versus Virginia (16-25, 5-13), then retiring 21 batters in a row.
The Williamsburg, Virginia native has retired 36 of her last 37 batters faced. Her perfect game was her third no-hitter this season.
Strouth broke the school record for RBIs in a season last Friday against in-state rival Virginia, getting a two-run single to break Megan Evans’ record of 50 set in 2005. She would go on to have four RBIs in the game, tying her career high and having four in a game for the fifth time this season.
The senior now has 53 on the season, the most in the ACC and tied for eighth nationally. She was instrumental in Tech’s win over the Dukes, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs to help the Hokies get their first win over a ranked opponent at home since 2016 and their second ranked win of the season. Strouth had a 1.067 slugging percentage for the week.
The Hokies will head to the Queen City Wednesday, taking on Charlotte (14-5-2, 6-2 C-USA) in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. ET.