Virginia Softball Earns First Series Win Over North Carolina Since 2016

A walk-off base hit from Kailyn Jones on Saturday gave the Cavaliers their first series win against the Tar Heels in seven years

Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics

For the first time since 2016, the Virginia softball team beat North Carolina in a three-game ACC series. The UVA pitching staff shut out UNC in the first two matchups to seal the series victory, but then the Tar Heel bats got the best of them in game three to salvage the series. 

Game 1 (Friday): Virginia 3, North Carolina 0

Eden Bigham picked up the complete-game shutout win for Virginia in the series, giving up three hits all game. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers struck for three runs in the fourth inning to provide all of the offense needed in the victory.

North Carolina threatened in the second and fourth innings with a runner on third and two outs, but the Cavalier defense escaped in both innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Lauren VanAssche hit a sacrifice fly, Gabby Baylog doubled and advanced to third on a throwing error, and then Kailyn Jones reached on a fielding error, allowing Baylog to score.

Bigham cruised through the rest of the game to move to 9-3 on the season. Jade Hylton went 3 for 3 from the leadoff spot and contributed an impressive leaping catch at shortstop in the sixth inning.

Game 2 (Saturday): Virginia 1, North Carolina 0

Once again, the Cavalier pitching was spotless. This time, Jenny Bressler struck out ten in a complete-game shutout and only allowed three hits, earning her seventh win of the season. While UNC pitcher Lilli Backes held the Cavaliers scoreless for six innings, the Hoos managed to win in walk-off fashion. In the bottom of the seventh, Abby Weaver singled to shortstop, and an errant throw allowed her to move to second. The Cavaliers only had three hits up until this point, but it didn’t take them long to capitalize on having a runner in scoring position with a chance to win. Head coach Joanna Hardin put the bat in the hands of Kailyn Jones, who came up to the plate to pinch hit and drilled a line drive into left field, letting pinch runner Reece Holbrook score and giving Virginia the thrilling 1-0 victory and the series win.

Walk it off KJ!

She takes the pinch-hit opportunity and delivers the double to left to lock up the series!#GoHoos | #OnTheRise | #HoosNext pic.twitter.com/LUzlF9BhU8

— Virginia Softball (@UVASoftball) April 1, 2023

Game 3 (Sunday): North Carolina 5, Virginia 3

A four-run fifth inning was the difference in the final game of the series, with UNC earning the victory. In the top of the first, the Tar Heels executed a double steal to bring home the game’s first run, but Abby Weaver responded in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to tie it up. Later, Gabby Baylog came through with an RBI double and Kailyn Jones poked a single through the infield to make it 3-1 UVA after four innings.

Eden Bigham ran into trouble in the fifth inning after hitting a batter to bring home a run and then exiting with the bases loaded. Jenny Bressler came in and got one strikeout, but then gave up a bases-clearing triple, giving UNC a 5-3 lead. While a two-run deficit was a manageable comeback, the Hoos were retired in order in the sixth and seventh innings to end the game.

Gabby Baylog was 2 for 3 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI to lead Virginia. Eden Bigham took the loss after the fifth inning runs came through.

After this series, Virginia is 25-11 and 6-6 in the ACC, and North Carolina is 14-24 and 4-8 in the ACC. The Cavaliers will host Virginia Tech for a three game series in the Commonwealth Clash starting on Thursday at 5pm at Palmer Park. 

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