ATHENS, GA- On Friday, the no. 21 Hokies jump-started their weekend in Athens, Georgia, with an undefeated day, scoring victories against nearby Radford and third-ranked Georgia.

The first game on tap for Virginia Tech was against the Radford Highlanders. The two teams, whose home stadiums are just 16 miles apart, traveled over 350 miles each to play on Friday to open the Georgia Classic.

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After a scoreless first, the Hokie’s Cori McMillan put the first run on the board when she homered as the first player up to the plate in the second. The Highlanders looked to answer back in the bottom half of the inning. They seemed like they would be able to as Emma Yates singled into right with Amber Wolfe in scoring position, but McMillan once again showed up, this time on the defensive end, making the throw from right field to the plate in time to get the final out of the inning.

McMillan, who transferred from Radford this season, would be a very impactful player in this one. McMillan led her team in home runs and RBIs in this matchup last season and did so again today, except the runs counted for the Maroon and Orange. The junior went two-for-three at the plate with two homers, four RBI and a walk, she followed up with an assist in the field to top it off.

The rest of the Hokies put together a solid game. Kylie Aldridge and Addy Greene batted in runs in the third, and Emily LeGette singled in another run in the fourth to extend the Tech lead to seven. Two innings later, in the top of the sixth, Bre Peck would tack on another run with a solo homer, putting the game in criteria to end early if Radford did not score a run in the bottom half.

Cassie Grizzard was on the mound for the Hokies and was having another solid day. The Highlanders gave it all they had to put a run on the board and extend the game but ultimately could not. Grizzard finished the game with six scoreless innings on the mound, striking out seven batters and giving up just three hits on 99 pitches. This performance improved her season record to 4-0 and moved the Hokies to 9-2-1 going into the later game.

Approximately 43 minutes after the end of the first game, Virginia Tech was back in action. The task would be much taller this time as the Hokies would take on the third-ranked, undefeated Georgia Bulldogs on their field. However, Virginia Tech would quickly show that they were up to the task as the second batter of the game, Greene, would hit a ball over the wall in right-center to score the game's first run.

The two teams would match each other over the next three innings. The Hokies would start the second with a leadoff home run from McMillan; however, Georgia would retire the next three batters and respond with a run of their own in the bottom half. Over the next two innings, both teams managed to get a runner to third, but neither scored.

In the fifth inning, Tech seemed they could be in trouble. In the top half, the Georgia defense held the Hokies hitless for the first time in the game. Then, in the bottom half, Emma Lemely started the inning by giving up her first two walks of the game. A sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position for the Bulldogs, but a strikeout on the next at-bat put the Hokies back on pace to get out of the inning. However, a four-pitch walk that followed would load the bases and would be followed by a two-RBI single that put Georgia ahead for the first time and ended Lemely’s day. The Hokies would get out of the inning on the next at-bat after forcing a line out.

Trailing for the first time in the game, Virginia Tech was determined to take back the lead. The Hokies would string together a single, walk, and sac-bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. After an out on the next at-bat, Tech would decide to bring Trinity Martin in to pinch hit, and it would pay off as she hit a single into right that would score two. In the bottom of the sixth, the Maroon and Orange would allow one hit and not let any Georgia runner get past first base.

Heading into the final inning with a one-run lead, Greene would lead off for the Hokies and hit her second home run of the game. The Bulldogs would match this with a home run of their own in the bottom half, but Lyndsey Grein, who was brought in for the save, would strike out three of the next four to end the game and give Georgia their first loss of the season.

Up next on the docket for the Hokies was a rematch against the Bulldogs. The Hokies found new struggles on the offensive side, never catching up to the slugging presented by UGA.

Virginia Tech succeeded in the early stretches, tallying three runs through the first three innings, marking a 3-1 lead over the Bulldogs. Jayda Kearney would go on to flip the script with a three-run bomb that pushed Georgia to a one-run lead.

This would enact a UGA landslide with Lyndi Rae Davis at the forefront, bombing the game's second three-run bomb. While Addy Greene could slice the lead with a solo shot, bringing in Kylie Aldridge, this would be as far as the Hokies would get, eventually losing 7-5.

Virginia Tech quickly eliminated their one-game slump with an authoritative 6-0 shutout over Dartmouth. This was a win driven by the nine-strikeout Lemley and eight different Hokies, who all tallied one hit, with Bre Peck marking two on Saturday's final game. All but one Dartmouth batter found zero luck on the mound as Ashley Frantz totaled the only two runs compiled by the Ivy League side.

To end the Georgia Classic, the Hokies rematched the Radford Highlanders in an attempt to leave Athens with a sole loss. The Hokies made quick work of the Highlanders in a five-inning run-rule that saw the Hokies explode out the gates with five runs in the first frame. Catcher Zoe Yaeger took control of the plate, racking in five RBI on the night, with eight different Hokies compiling hits. Things weren't just clicking on the offensive end for the Hokies. Sophomore pitcher Lyndsey Grein totaled 10 strikeouts while allowing just two hits en route to a 13-1 Hokies victory.

Up next for Virginia Tech is a home three-game weekend series against the Fighting Irish. The first pitch takes place this Friday.

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