Cavaliers Now

Virginia Softball Ends Regular Season on High Note, Wins Series at Georgia Tech

Kathleen Boyce

Abby Weaver celebrates after hitting a double during the Virginia softball game at Georgia Tech.
Abby Weaver celebrates after hitting a double during the Virginia softball game at Georgia Tech. / Virginia Athletics

Virginia was projected to place 9th out of 13 teams in the ACC Softball Preseason Poll. Instead, the Hoos went 15-9 in ACC play and 32-17 overall, winning a program-record seven of their eight ACC series and currently sitting in a tie for fourth place among the elite of the conference. Additionally, the Cavaliers managed four ranked wins in ACC play. 

In the final weekend series of the regular season, Joanna Hardin’s team got the job done in different ways each game, with a different player being the x-factor when needed most as Virginia wrapped up ACC play with a hard-fought series win on the road at Georgia Tech.

Game 1 (Friday 4/26) - Georgia Tech 6, Virginia 5

While Virginia’s pitching staff and defense have carried the team to many big wins this season, those strengths were not on display as much as they usually are in game one. 

Georgia Tech took a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to a leadoff walk that eventually scored on a fielding error and then an RBI double. Macee Eaton cut the lead in half in the top of the second with a solo homer, and while the UVA offense wasn’t stringing lots of hits together at once, Shelby Barbee was able to tie the game in the fifth with a solo shot.

Eden Bigham pitched scoreless innings in the second, third, and fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth inning. After a bunt single, she walked two batters and hit a batter with the bases loaded to bring in the go-ahead run. Madi Harris came in to relieve her, but walked her first batter and allowed a sac fly, so the Yellow Jackets led 5-2.

Virginia had a big sixth inning, once again relying on the long ball to get things done. Jade Hylton hit her 12th home run of the year to lead it off, and then Shelby Barbee hit a two-run homer to tie the game, her second of the day. 

Madi Harris got out of a jam in the sixth inning with runners on second and third and two outs, but the Hoos were unable to take the lead. In the bottom of the seventh, a Georgia Tech hitter hit a line drive that tipped off of the glove of Kelsey Hackett, and there was enough time for the winning run to score from first base. 

Game 2 (Saturday 4/27) - Virginia 16, Georgia Tech 1 (5 innings)

Entering game two, Coach Hardin said that despite the disappointing loss, spirits were high and  “everyone was very clear on the adjustments we needed to make going in.” That attitude paid off, as an eleven run inning propelled the Hoos to a run-rule victory to even the series. The game was Virginia’s third run-rule victory of the season, and the team’s 16 runs were the most scored all season.

Macee Eaton got things going in the first with a line drive that went off of the left fielder’s glove, scoring Abby Weaver from first. The Hoos didn’t score in the second or third innings, but that changed in a big way in the fourth.

The inning featured eight hits (including two bunts and an infield single), three walks, and aggressive baserunning. Abby Weaver got things going with a leadoff double, then Macee Eaton walked and Shelby Barbee loaded the bases with a bunt single. Sarah Coon smoked a ball off of the left field wall to bring in two runs, the second of which scored as the throw got away from the catcher. 

Leah Boggs walked to load the bases, and then Lauren VanAssche got a two-run single of her own. After a pitching change, Kassidy Hudson and Jade Hylton both managed infield singles, with a run coming in on Hylton’s hit. Next, Bella Cabral had one RBI on a single, and Abby Weaver had one RBI on a walk. After scoring seven runs without recording an out, Georgia Tech made its second pitching change of the inning.

Virginia’s pace slowed down slightly with an RBI fielder’s choice from Macee Eaton, but then Shelby Barbee blasted a three run homer, her third long ball of the series. This gave Virginia a 12-1 lead. 

Mikayla Houge looked good in the circle early on after getting the start for Virginia, and she only allowed one solo home run through her first three innings of work. After the huge inning, Houge took advantage and attacked hitters, only giving up one more hit for the rest of the contest and getting the complete-game victory.

Abby Weaver checked in with her first home run of the season in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs to make it 16-1. Weaver was 3-3 with 4 runs and 4 RBI in game two, the clear offensive MVP. After recording the final out in the fifth, the Hoos secured the series tying win.

Game 3 (Sunday 4/28) - Virginia 4, Georgia Tech 3

The UVA bats came back down to earth after a memorable Saturday afternoon, but the Cavaliers got timely hits when needed on Sunday.

In the first inning, Bella Cabral scored on a wild pitch to give Virginia the early lead. Georgia Tech took the lead in the third with an RBI double off of Mikayla Houge, who was making her second start in two days. Madi Harris came in to finish the inning, but not before the second run for the Yellow Jackets came across.

Virginia was unable to score in the fourth inning with a runner on third and didn’t have many other chances in the middle innings. Meanwhile, Eden Bigham came in to pitch and stymied Georgia Tech, as the team hoped the bats would come through.

The sixth inning began with a single from Abby Weaver and a walk by Macee Eaton. After a wild pitch, Shelby Barbee hit a sac fly to tie the game. With two outs and a runner on third, Leah Boggs hit a ball just out of the reach of the shortstop to give Virginia the lead. Boggs was the third out with a runner on third in the fourth inning, so when she got a second chance, she was able to deliver. 

Shelby Barbee got another RBI in the seventh inning with a single to left field, providing a crucial insurance run and a 4-2 lead. Barbee was 6-9 in the series with three home runs and seven RBI in a very impressive showing. 

 In the bottom of the seventh, an error with two outs put a runner on second base that later scored on an RBI single. With the tying run on second base, Eden Bigham got a pop up to seal the victory.

Coach Hardin noted the opportunities for her players to bounce back and recover after previous plays, like Eden Bigham getting the win in game three after struggling in game one, and Leah Boggs coming through with the clutch hit the second time she got the opportunity.

Winning seven of their eight ACC series and finishing with a 15-9 record in conference play, the Cavaliers are currently tied for Clemson for fourth place in the ACC standings. Several teams still have to play their final ACC series of the season, so the bracket and matchups for the ACC Tournament will not be finalized until next weekend.

The 2024 ACC Softball Championship will take place from May 8-11 in Durham, North Carolina. Virginia has already clinched a bye into the quarterfinals on Thursday, May 9th.

 

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Kathleen Boyce
KATHLEEN BOYCE

Kathleen Boyce is a contributing author for Cavaliers Now, covering primarily UVA volleyball, women's basketball, and softball. Kathleen is currently a fourth-year student at the University of Virginia.