Virginia Softball Swept by No. 4 Clemson in Three Close Matchups

The Cavaliers lost three games by a combined six runs against the fourth-ranked Tigers this weekend at Clemson

Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics

The Virginia softball team’s second ACC series of the season would be no small task: taking on the No. 4 ranked Clemson Tigers, who entered the weekend holding a 26-1 record. Playing against the best of the best on the road this early in the conference season would be a good test and an incredible challenge for Joanna Hardin’s team.

Game 1 (Saturday): Clemson 4, Virginia 1

In the series opener, Clemson’s Millie Thompson held Virginia to just two hits in a complete game win. Thompson holds an ERA of 0.95 on the season, an insane number but not even the best earned run average on the team.

Eden Bigham walked two Clemson batters and then gave up a two-out two-run double to Caroline Jacobsen to give Clemson a 3-0 lead. The Hoos scored in the fourth inning after Tori Gilbert doubled down the right field line and advanced to third on a groundout, eventually scoring on Sarah Coon’s sacrifice fly. That would end up being UVA's first and only run of the series. Clemson added on another insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, so the final score held at 4-1.

While Bigham took the loss, the true freshman pitched well and had five strikeouts and gave up just three hits, so it was the two-walk inning that got her in trouble. Savanah Henley pitched 3.1 innings in relief, giving up just one hit and one run with six strikeouts.

Game 2 (Saturday): Clemson 1, Virginia 0

Now it was time to face the Clemson ace, Valerie Cagle, and her staggering 0.53 ERA. UVA pitcher Molly Grube had an impressive performance, holding Clemson to just one unearned run on two hits, and that would be the difference in the game as Cagle shut out the Cavaliers.

The lone run of the game scored on an error in an inning with a single, sac bunt, and sac fly. No Cavalier baserunner advanced past second base in the contest, as the Clemson defense eliminated the offensive threat of Virginia two games in a row.

Game 3 (Sunday): Clemson 2, Virginia 0

Valerie Cagle picked up her 13th win of the season in the series finale, but unlike game two, the Cavaliers threatened in multiple innings and had a chance to score.

Clemson scored both of its runs in the first inning when Alia Logoleo singled to left field and brought in one run, and the second run came in on a Cavalier error. After that, Jenny Bressler subbed in to pitch for UVA and pitched an impressive five innings of scoreless softball.

On offense, Sarah Coon doubled in the top of the second, but then Katie Goldberg lined into an unassisted double play to erase that threat. In the third inning, Clemson threw out Lauren VanAssche at the plate on a Jade Hylton single. The Cavaliers had baserunners in every inning but the fourth after Clemson took the lead, but the team couldn’t capitalize. Molly Grube ended up taking the loss for the Cavaliers.

Jade Hylton and Sarah Coon both went 2 for 3 at the plate in the final game.

Virginia’s pitching was impressive all series, giving up seven runs in three games. However, the fourth-ranked and one-loss Tigers showed why they are so dominant, holding Virginia to only one run in 21 innings. 

Now 18-10 overall and 1-5 in ACC play, Virginia will play Hofstra on Tuesday at home and then travel to Pitt for a weekend series. 

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