FARMVILLE, Va. — No. 12/14 Virginia Tech broke open a 1-0 game with with five runs in the fourth and six in the fifth to take the first game of a doubleheader with the Longwood softball team on Wednesday at Bank of the James Park.

The Hokies then erased a 1-0 Longwood lead in the bottom of the third of the second game, scoring at least once in each of the last four frames for a 7-1 victory.

"I like a lot of things we're seeing," said Longwood head coach Dr. Megan Brown. "Seeing some improvements in some areas, seeing some good pieces, just need to continue the consistency. Virginia Tech's a good team and their top 25, have one of the top offenses in the country, so seeing some moments where its like 'OK, that's exactly what we need to do.' Taking confidence from when we execute the way we're preparing, we're doing the things we want to do and then obviously cleaning up the we-didn't mean-to-do that options."

Behind a solid 5 2/3 innings from right-hander Maggie Chapin, the Lancers scored first first in the nightcap as Brooke Bennett walked to start the bottom of the third inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Sophia Pisacano grounded out to second, pushing Bennett to third, Brook Masingale hit a bouncer that Michelle Chatfield gloved at first base. Bennett beat the throw home with a head-first slide to give her team the lead.

Virginia Tech responded with a run in the top of the fourth to knot the game, 1-1, with an Addison Foster sacrifice fly to left field that scored Jordan Lynch, and the Hokies added home runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for the final margin.

Zoe Yaeger hit a three-run shot to left-center field with one out in the fifth, Foster led off the sixth with a blast of her own to left center and Lynch hit a two-run shot with one out in the seventh, also to left center.

Bennett, Sophia Knock and Chapin collected hits for the Lancers. Chapin (6-8) was relieved in the circle by Cierra Gawryluk, who allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in getting four outs. 

Lynch and Foster each secured two hits and two RBIs for the Hokies in the second game.

Bree Carrico earned the win in the circle in four hitless innings in a relief role. She struck out 10 against just one walk.

A Rachel Castine sac fly to right field in the second inning of the first game against Gawryluk gave the Virginia Tech an early edge and the Hokies poured it on with five more in the fourth and six in the fifth to invoke the run rule.

Castine added single up the middle in the fourth that plated Foster and Lynch to make it 3-0. Then, Kylie Aldridge lined a single that was misplayed in right field, allowing all three runners aboard to come around and score as Aldridge wound up on third with Virginia Tech up, 6-0. The Hokies scored six runs on five hits and two errors in the fifth.

Maggie Hiatt collected the Lancers' only hit in the contest, a leadoff single to left field in the second inning.

Gawryluk fell to 3-6 with 3 1/3 innings of three-hit ball. She gave up up three earned runs and six walks, giving way to Morgan Strickland for the final inning and 2/3.

Avery Layton (6-1) went four innings, striking out four and walking one for the win in the circle. Eight different players had hits for Virginia Tech while Castine drove in three runs and scored twice.

Longwood opens Big South play with a Saturday doubleheader at Charleston Southern. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.