Yellow Jackets Outlast No. 10 Hokies for Historic Series Win

BLACKSBURG, VA. – Georgia Tech softball (29-23, 10-11 ACC) made history on Sunday afternoon as its 9-7 win over No. 10 Virginia Tech (38-8, 12-6 ACC) was not only its first series win in Blacksburg, Virginia, since 2011 but its highest ranked series win in program history.

QUICK HITS

• Prior to Sunday, Georgia Tech’s most recent ranked series win was over a No. 24 Florida State back in 2012. Before downing the No. 10 Hokies for the series win, the Yellow Jackets’ highest ranked series win was over No. 12 North Carolina back in 2009 where the Tar Heels were swept.
• Sydnie Watts made her 14^th start, 22^nd appearance, on Saturday in game two against the Hokies. Watts went on to record two strikeouts against 13 batters faced across 2.2 innings pitched.
• The sophomore recorded one strikeout against nine batters faced across 1.1 combined innings of work in the rubber game. Watts was relieved by Kenley Hilleary in the second inning before returning briefly in the fourth inning as Madalyn Johnson took over in the fifth.
• Hilleary made her 25^th relief appearance, 27^th appearance, in game three. The senior came in and faced 13 batters, collecting one strikeout, across 2.2 innings before Watts resumed her role in the circle.
• Hilleary collected her fourth win of the season, leaving Blacksburg with a pair of wins. Three of her wins were collected against ranked opponents (No. 14 Virginia, No. 10 Virginia Tech twice), all of which were collected against ACC opponents (Notre Dame. No. 14 Virginia, No. 10 Virginia Tech twice).
• Johnson relieved Watts in the fifth inning and faced 16 Hokies and helped Tech collect the Sunday win while leaving five Virginia Tech runners on base. The sophomore’s 3.0 innings of work were enough to earn Johnson her first save of the season, Tech’s fourth.
• Alyssa Willer was once again unable to be managed by the Hokies’ defense as her Sunday featured two runs, two hits, one home run, and two RBI. Her third-inning home run brought the sophomore to 14 home runs this season, the second most of any Yellow Jacket behind Gracyn Tucker (16).
• Reese Hunter saw her ninth home run of the season leave the Tech Softball Park in the first inning. Hunter finished the day with three RBI for her eighth multi-RBI game of the season.
• Willer was one of three Yellow Jackets to record multiple runs in game three along with Paige Vukadinovich and Raegan Wall. Willer now sits with a team high 14 multi-hit games while both Vukadinovich and Wall sit just behind her with nine multi-run performances respectively.
• The left fielder also saw a pair of hits alongside both Tucker and Wall. She leads the team in multi-hit games as well with 14 this season. Wall’s two hits on Sunday brought her to nine multi-hit games this season while bringing Tucker to eight.
• Holly Medina sits with the Yellow Jackets longest active reached safely streak after safely getting on base in each of the last 10 games.
• Georgia Tech is one of three unranked schools to have picked off a win from No. 10 Virginia Tech (Michigan State, Charlotte). Prior to this weekend, No. 14 Duke was the only ACC team to defeat the Hokies in a three-game series this season.
• The Yellow Jackets pulled off their 16^th double play of the season in the bottom of the fifth to hold the Hokies to five runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the third straight game against Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech got on the board first this time with a home run over right center sent flying by Hunter. Addison Leschber and Tucker joined Hunter on her jog around the bases in the first half inning.
• Virginia Tech saw their lone run of the game in the bottom of the second off a home run that hit off the top of the right field wall.
• Georgia Tech reestablished its three-run lead in the top of the third with a solo slam from Willer that quickly exited over the right field fence.
• The Hokies responded with a solo home run of their own in the bottom of the third, once again over right field.
• The Yellow Jackets got some distance from the Hokies with three runs on three hits and one error. Wall got things started in the fourth with a single to third that sent Vukadinovich running home. The DP worked her way to second before she was sent home on another single this time to center field from Medina. Tucker capped Georgia Tech’s scoring run in the fourth as her double to right field was enough to send Willer running home from third.
• Hosting Virginia Tech cut the visiting Georgia Tech’s lead to four runs as one Hokie came home from first off a triple to center field.
• With two outs on the board, Wall laid down a textbook bunt in front of the plate and force the Hokies to try to beat her out running to first. Wall was too fast for Virginia Tech’s defense and safely reached while Vukadinovich came home for the second time. After stealing second to get into scoring position, Wall was sent jogging home off a triple to right field from Willer.
• Virginia Tech responded with two runs on two hits as well in the bottom half of the inning. Two walks and a double to left field loaded up the bases before the Hokies hit a single through the left side that resulted in another two runs for the home team.
• Both teams went scoreless through the sixth before Tech saw its final time to bat come to a close. Virginia Tech was able to get on base via a walk before a home run over left center brought game three within two runs. Regardless of two more Hokies getting on base, the Yellow Jackets closed out the game with the final out collected by Simon.

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets will return to The Flats to finish out the regular season next week starting with their final midweek game against Furman on Wednesday, April 22 at 6 p.m. Tech will then wrap up conference play in a three-game series against No. 12 Florida State April 24-26.

Purchasing 2026 Tickets

Tickets for Tech’s final midweek game can be purchased online at https://ramblinwreck.evenue.net/list/SOFTBALL or by calling the Georgia Tech Ticket Office at 888.TECH.TIX (Hours: M-F, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM).

2026 Softball Group Experiences and Video Board Messages!

Georgia Tech Softball is also offering special experiences for the 2026 softball season, including group postgame photos and special videoboard messages! Click the links below to purchase your experience today!

Click HERE to purchase videoboard messages!

Click HERE to purchase postgame photos!

On field Anthem Buddies experiences, for groups of 10-15 kids, ages 8-14, are also available for the 2026 season! To learn more, email gtmarketing@athletics.gatech.edu!

Want your special message on the board at Mewborn field for the 2026 season? 2026 video board messages are available for purchase now for $30!

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech softball team, follow us on Twitter (@GaTechSoftball), Facebook, Instagram (@GaTechsoftball) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.