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PITTSBURGH (theACC.com) - The top-seeded Virginia Tech Hokies held off a feisty Syracuse squad, 2-1, Thursday afternoon to claim the first spot in the semifinals. Syracuse pushed across the game’s first run, but Virginia Tech scored in the third and fourth innings to grab the lead and hold on for the win.

After earning its first ACC Championship victory against Louisville on Wednesday, Syracuse (26-21) came out swinging in the top of the first with three hits off ACC Pitcher of the Year Keely Rochard. Neli Casares-Maher delivered the big hit in the inning with a solo homer to left field to give the Orange a 1-0 advantage.

“Regardless of how you played today, tomorrow’s a new day and all that matters right now is winning,” said Virginia Tech’s ACC Coach of the Year Pete D’Amour. “It sure beats the alternative. I think Syracuse mixed speeds really well today and it kind of threw us for a loop. There were some balls that were hit hard, we just didn’t string enough together but that happens in the postseason. You can’t expect to score 10 runs every game, I like to though.”

The Hokies (41-6) knotted the score at one in the bottom of the third following an RBI single from Morgan Overaitis to score Jayme Bailey, who singled earlier in the inning.

Bre Peck gave Virginia Tech a 2-1 lead with a solo home run to right center, her 11th of the season, which proved to be the game’s final run.

Rochard threw her 17th complete game of the season to improve to 23-2, striking out 10 batters with one run allowed. Lindsey Hendrix and Ariana Adams split duties in the circle for the Orange with Hendrix pitching 2.2 innings before giving way to Adams, who completed the game.

Virginia Tech will play the Notre Dame-Clemson winner at 1 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.