LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Virginia Tech's softball team upset UCLA, the reigning NCAA national champions Thursday night.
Williamsburg's Keeley Rochard (Warhill High School) struck out 12 UCLA batters in the Hokies' 7-2 victory in game one of the best-of-three NCAA Division I softball Super Regional. It was the 15th double-digit strikeout game of the season for Rochard, the 2021 ACC Pitcher of the Year.
The Hokies (37-13) handed the Bruins (44-5) just their fifth loss of the season and first of the 2021 NCAA Tournament behind Rochard's (29-8) three-hitter. The junior took a perfect game into the fifth inning and closed out Thursday's win after allowing just two runs to the 2019 national champions.
Game two of the series is set for Friday at 9:30 p.m. The Hokies advance to the Women's College World Series for just the second time in program history with one more victory.
This is Virginia Tech's second-ever appearance in a Super Regional.
