UVA Softball Goes 2-3 in Season-Opening Road Trip

The Cavaliers went 2-3 in five games played this weekend to open the 2022 season

Matt Newton | Feb 14, 2022

Photo courtesy of Virginia Athletics Communications

The Virginia softball team opened the 2022 season with a five-game road trip this weekend beginning with a game at Charlotte before playing four games in Columbia, South Carolina at the Gamecock Invitational. The Cavaliers went 2-3 in the five games to begin the 2022 campaign.

Virginia 7, Charlotte 10 (Charlotte, NC)

Virginia opened the season with a game at Charlotte on Thursday evening. The 49ers put up six runs on the Hoos in the bottom of the 2nd inning to take a 7-1 lead. The Cavaliers clawed their way back into the game with two runs in the 4th, one in the 5th, and three in the 6th on a three-run home run by Kate Covington. The rally fell short, however, as Charlotte added two more runs in the bottom of the 6th and finished off UVA in the top of the 7th to seal the 10-7 victory.

Virginia 2, Lipscomb 0 (Columbia, SC)

UVA bounced back from the season-opening loss at Charlotte by shutting out Lipscomb 2-0 in the first game of the Gamecock Invitational on Friday. Senior Aly Rayle started the game in the circle and pitched five and a third scoreless innings, striking out six batters and allowing just three hits and zero runs. Katie Goldberg hit an RBI double in the bottom of the 1st and Sarah Coon doubled in the bottom of the 5th to drive in Virginia's second run. Mikayla Houge got the save to close out UVA's first victory of the season.

Virginia 2, South Caroline 3 (Columbia, SC)

In Virginia's second game on Friday, the Cavaliers took an early 1-0 lead on the host school South Carolina, as Tori Gilbert scored on an error in the top of the 2nd inning. Savanah Henley pitched four scoreless innings and struck out six batters in the process, but gave up two runs in the bottom of the 5th as the Gamecocks jumped in front. South Carolina tacked on one more run in the bottom of the 6th, which proved fatal for the Cavaliers, who scored one run in the top of the 7th on a home run by Tori Gilbert, but were not able to stage the comeback and fell 3-2.

Virginia 6, George Washington 1 (Columbia, SC)

Virginia picked up another win on Saturday night, beating George Washington 6-1. The Cavaliers scored four runs in the top of the 3rd, three of which came on a bases-clearing single by Katie Goldberg, who then scored on a sacrifice fly by Tori Gilbert. Virginia tacked on runs in the top of the 5th and the top of 7th. Mikayla Houge pitched a complete game, giving up just five hits and one run.

Virginia 0, North Carolina 5 (Columbia SC)

In the final game of the Gamecock Invitational, Virginia fell to ACC rival North Carolina 5-0. UNC scored a run in the bottom of the 1st, but that 1-0 margin stood for the next four innings, as Savanah Henley pitched three-straight scoreless innings before giving up two more runs in the bottom of the 5th. The Tar Heels scored two more runs in the 6th and the Cavaliers could not string enough hits together to get on the board.

Up next, Virginia (2-3) participates in the Charleston Southern Softball Tournament in Charleston, South Carolina next weekend. The Cavaliers will play three games against Sacred Heart and two games against Charleston Southern at the CSU Softball Complex.

Read more from Cavaliers Now