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UVa Beats Wagner 9-1
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. The Virginia softball team (2-7) registered a season-best 11 hits en route to a 9-1 win over Wagner (0-2) Saturday in the Tennessee Classic. First-year Courtney Pettit made her first career start as the designated player and scored three of UVa’s nine runs.
Virginia’s 11 hits surpassed the previous season-best of nine hits, set at then-fifth-ranked Arizona State back on Feb. 16. The team’s nine runs also tied the most of the season thus far.
Cavalier first-year Jennifer Bowles also made herfirst appearance of the season for the Orange and Blue.
UVa’s 7-8-9 hitters of Lauren McCaskey, Abby Snyder and Sarah Tacke combined to go 6-for-7 in the game. McCaskey was two-for-three in the contest with a double and a single. Synder was 2-for-2, also with a double and a single, while Tacke went 2-for-2 with two doubles. The Cavaliers finished the game with five doubles on the afternoon, including another from fourth-year Lindsey Preuss.
Virginia pitcher Karla Wilburn (1-3) earned her first win in the circle for UVa, going the distance. Wilburn allowed one run on five hits and fanned three batters in five innings.
After a scoreless first, the Cavaliers put two runs on the board in the bottom of the second. Pettit led off the inning with a double to center field, but Virginia quickly had two outs when Wilburn struck out looking and McCaskey lined to left. Synder, the fourth batter of the inning, then doubled to center for a RBI, scoring Pettit. Tacke followed with yet another double to center to score Snyder, and UVa took a 2-0 advantage.
Wagner cut the lead to one in the top of the third. A single up the middle and a fielder’s choice put two on with one out. Another fielder’s choice to Kierstie Cameron at second was dropped on the toss to Carly Winger at short, and a run scored on the error.
The Cavaliers added two more in the third to take a 4-1 lead. After two quick outs, Pettit reached on a walk, followed by a single by Wilburn. McCaskey then doubled to left center to score Pettit and advance Wilburn to third. A Synder walk loaded the bases, and a Tacke walk scored Wilburn from third.
Virginia scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game out of reach. With one out, Preuss doubled to right field and Haller reached on an error to right that scored Preuss. Bowles pinch-ran for Haller and would later advance to second after another Pettit walk. McCaskey singled through the left side to score Bowles and Snyder singled to left center to score Pettit. Tacke then hit her second double of the game to score Snyder and McCaskey, giving Virginia a 9-1 advantage.
The Cavaliers wrap up play in the Tennessee Classic at noon Sunday. Virginia will meet the fifth-ranked Lady Vols for a second time this weekend.