Zoe Yaeger hit a home run in the fourth inning to take a lead.
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Taking the Field: No. 12 Virginia Tech and No. 16 Stanford stepped onto the field before game one of their three-game series. Photo: Robert Bateman
By Sam Mostow and Robert Bateman
March 28, 2025
Trailing by two runs in the fourth inning, Zoe Yaeger, Virginia Tech softball’s catcher, sent a rise ball down the left field line, which hooked and barely cleared the foul pole.
Instead of a long strike, her hit gave the No. 12 Hokies a 3-2 lead over No. 16 Stanford — en route to a 4-3 victory at Tech Softball Park on Friday.
“I thought it was going to go foul and I was gonna be really upset,” Yaeger said. “So, I’m glad it went out.”
As she sprinted around first base, Yaeger outstretched her arms and allowed herself to yell. She beamed as she rounded third and let Kylie Aldridge and Jordan Lynch — the other two runs she scored — mob her as she crossed the plate.
Despite the Cardinal’s consistent efforts, the Hokies stood strong. Pete D’Amour, Virginia Tech’s head coach, and his staff have preached mental toughness all season, and Friday night’s effort was a sign of strength against a team which advanced to the Women’s College World Series the last two years.
“Especially taking the first game, that puts a lot of pressure on them,” Yaeger said. “We kind of showed the rest of the country what we’re about — that we can win big games. I think that’s what we were missing last year — we were good, we had the talent, but we couldn’t win the big games. It’s really big for us that we can come through in games like this.”
Virginia Tech has fallen short of hosting a regional or advancing to a super regional for the last two years. For a team with lofty goals to play deep into May and June, Yaeger said wins over Stanford and other tough opponents help.
“That is kind of all what it comes down to, is moments like that,” said Emma Lemley, Virginia Tech’s pitcher. “These huge moments, these big games, two ranked teams playing each other. We have a packed house. That’s kind of a super regional feel right there. Those are the kind of moments we want to be in — to practice all the stuff we’ve been learning and trying to implement. That was a perfect time to do it and say, ‘OK we can get through those.’”
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Swing and a Miss: Michelle Chatfield, Virginia Tech’s first baseman, failed to connect with a pitch. Photo: Robert Bateman
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Chasing Bases: Jordan Lynch sprints to second base while Stanford fielded a ground ball. Photo: Robert Bateman
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Hokies and the Hokie: Fans interact with the HokieBird at Tech Softball Park. Photo: Robert Bateman
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Making Plays: Virginia Tech’s infielders crash a ground ball. Photo: Robert Bateman
BLACKSBURG, Va., March 28 – Stuck in the Action: Emma Lemley, Virginia Tech’s pitcher, fired a pitch towards Jade Berry, Stanford’s third baseman. Photo: Robert Bateman
