CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — In the eyes of Metallica, the best way to wage a war is to “Fight Fire with Fire,” as the 1984 song goes.
That fire for Virginia Tech came within the circle, as over the 20 innings fired in the three-game tournament, Tech’s rotation held its foes to a mere three runs.
But Florida State’s inferno came from the 2026 ACC Pitcher of the Year, Jazzy Francik. She limited the Hokies (45-10, 18-6 ACC) to a single run in the Seminoles’ (49-8, 21-3) 2-1 victory to claim the ACC title.
“I’m proud of my kids,” said Virginia Tech head coach Pete D’Amour. “They played toe-to-toe with Florida State. Best team in the league, so no bones about how we played.”
In Francik’s only prior start against Virginia Tech, she fired six hitless innings in an 8-0 run rule victory last year as a freshman.
Sophomore third baseman Jordan Lynch, who was a part of that no-hitter, ended any chance of a repeat bid with one out in the first as she faded the ball down the left-field line for a double.
“I haven’t had my best couple of games,” Lynch said postgame. “So to be able to start the game off like that for my team, I was just super excited.”
The Hokies’ only run of the contest followed two batters later, from first baseman Michelle Chatfield in the most unlikely of ways.
Isa Torres, the ACC Player of the Year, entered the contest with a 1.000 fielding clip on 161 attempts, and Chatfield tested her early.
On Francik’s fourth delivery of the at-bat, Chatfield spiked a high dribbler near second, which Torres corraled off a one-footed leap. But her spin throw missed her first baseman, Hayley Griggs, allowing Lynch to score on Torres’ first error of 2026.
Tech starter Emma Mazzarone, who garnered All-ACC second team honors this season, was no shabby matchup against Francik, as she came out firing with three punchouts in the bottom of the first frame.
Yet, a leadoff walk surrendered by Mazzarone on a full-count stimulated a Seminole rally.
Center fielder Kennedy Harp watched Mazzarone’s first delivery come in as a ball before tattooing her next halfway up the wall in center, sending redshirt freshman Bella Ruggiero from first to home.
On the play at the plate, keen awareness from Harp not only placed her on third, but ultimately won Florida State the contest. On the very next delivery, a passed ball scurried away from catcher Zoe Yaeger, plating the final run in the bottom of the second.
The Seminoles’ two-spot in the second doubled Tech’s allowed runs in the prior two games, as the Hokies allowed only a single run against Virginia and Duke.
Freshman arm Avery Layton took over the circle in the third for the Hokies, and she never looked back in her first conference tournament appearance.
“I’m so proud of her,” Lynch said. “With not throwing a ton of innings this year to come in the ACC Championship and do that well, it was just awesome.”
Against the one-seeded Seminoles, Layton opened the bottom of the third with a strikeout and an eventual perfect frame, which laid the groundwork for a four-inning outing where she only allowed two hits.
Even further, Florida State only pressured with a runner in scoring position once against Layton, with two outs and runners on first and second, Layton forced a groundout to Torres to exit the slight jam.
The Hokies brought the theatrics out for one final push at the lead in the sixth, after the Seminoles went to their bullpen for All-Tournament Team pitcher Ashtyn Danley.
It also helped that Tech opened the frame at the top of its lineup; center fielder Addison Foster placed an awkward grounder in the 3-4 gap, and both Seminole players broke for the ball, which left first wide open for no play to be made.
Danley collected two outs after, but exited the contest after walking Chatfield. The Seminoles turned back to Francik, who immediately did the same, walking designated player Kylie Aldridge to juice the bases.
Up stepped fifth-year senior Rachel Castine. Even with Castine’s experience, Francik can mix up her pitches like the best in the country; she fooled Castine with a breaking ball, inducing a liner into the glove of Torres at short.
“Mixing speeds and a good gameplan, [we] couldn’t sit on anything,” D’Amour said.
The Hokies showed their run prowess in the semifinals against the Blue Devils, yet the Seminole arms were too mighty, as they bested Tech’s run total, with only two runs allowed over the weekend.
Tech might have done enough to prove itself worthy of hosting a regional, but it will be in the hands of the selection committee during the selection show, which takes place Sunday, May 10, at 7 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN2).
“What else are we supposed to do?” D’Amour questioned postgame. “We beat teams that we’re supposed to be in front of us.”
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