After not hosting the opening weekend of the NCAA softball tournament, Virginia Tech hit the road for the Baton Rouge Regional at LSU. If there was a place for the Hokies to go after missing out on hosting, it was there.
However, after opening the tournament with a win over South Alabama, 6-0, on Friday, on the opening day of the tournament, aside from one inning on Saturday night against Akron, it was a frustrating weekend for Pete D'Amour's club.
Virginia Tech was run-ruled by the Tigers on Saturday afternoon, 8-0, before playing Akron in an elimination game on Saturday night. Down 6-1 entering the top of the seventh, the Hokies plated six runs before an out was recorded to take a 7-6 lead. They shut down the Zips in the bottom of the seventh to secure career win No. 400 for D'Amour. It'll be one he won't soon forget in what turned into a lost weekend.
Congratulations to head coach Pete D'Amour on 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐬 👏#Hokies | @VTechSBcoach pic.twitter.com/IaVxxdUYmT
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) May 17, 2026
On Sunday, the Hokies grabbed a 2-0 lead against LSU, needing to beat them twice to advance to the Super Regionals next weekend, but LSU plated the next seven runs to eliminate Virginia Tech and end their season at 48-12.
Virginia Tech softball has season end in LSU Regional
This was a frustrating weekend for Virginia Tech from start to finish. Sure, the beat South Alabama, 6-0, but it wasn't easy. It's not supposed to be easy in the NCAA Tournament, but the Hokies didn't make things easy for themselves all weekend.
The pitching was shaky in the circle, and walks doomed them in both games against LSU. Emma Mazzarone struggled mightily and did not look like herself at all in any game this weekend. Bree Carrico was clearly dealing with an issue that forced her out of the ACC Tournament last weekend, and Avery Layton pitched some big innings and saved Virginia Tech's season against Akron.
The Zips loaded the bases up 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth and were three runs away from run-ruling Tech. However, Layton struck out the side and gave her team three outs, and they took advantage. It was the only inning where they looked like the team that put fear into their opponents all season long, with hit after hit and moving the line while plating runs. Six runs for a 7-6 lead, and Layton worked around a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh to send Tech to the Regional final.
Against LSU on Sunday, Virginia Tech grabbed a run in the bottom of the first and second innings for a 2-0 lead, but LSU plated four runs in the top of the third inning for a 4-2 lead, and they never looked back. The final 16 Virginia Tech batters were retired by the Tigers' pitching. The defense and walks plagued the Hokies on Sunday and summed up the weekend.
It was a frustrating end to a season that saw Virginia Tech begin the season 22-2 and make a statement with two road wins each over Georgia, Auburn, and South Carolina. The Bulldogs punched their ticket to the Super Regionals by winning their Regional in Athens this weekend.
It's going to be a long offseason for D'Amour and his team, and next February can't get here quickly enough. The Transfer Portal will open soon, and change is about to come. It'll be interesting to see which Hokies, if any, hit the portal and who D'Amour can get from there to improve the roster for the 2027 season.
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