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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia softball team (7-13, 2-1 ACC) split its home-opening doubleheader with James Madison (9-10) Wednesday at the Park. The Dukes blanked UVa in the first game, 4-0, but the Cavaliers took the second game, hanging on for a 2-1 victory.
Karla Wilburn picked up her team-leading fourth win in the circle for Virginia, pitching a complete game. She allowed just one run on seven hits, walked two and struck out one.
Despite having five hits to JMU’s seven, Virginia tallied two runs in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to second-year Kelly Haller’s two-out double to left center.
With one out, fifth-year Meghan O’Leary doubled to left. First-year Cynthia Javaras, who made her first start as the designated player, reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second. O’Leary and Jarvaras came around to score on Haller’s double, her third of the season.
The Dukes cut the lead to 2-1 in the op of the sixth, but two costly base running mistakes helped the Cavaliers get out of a jam. A sliding catch by Lindsey Preuss in left was the first half of a double play. Preuss rifled the ball over to Courtney Pettit to catch the runner heading back to first base. Earlier in the inning, the UVa defense picked off Amber Kirk overstepping second after her RBI double.
JMU took the first game, 4-0. Each team tallied six hits in the contest but Virginia could not get a run across, leaving six on base. Preuss went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Cavaliers and Carly Winger also tallied a single to extend her hitting streak to seven games. Meghan O’Leary, Sarah Tacke and Abby Snyder also had hits for UVa.
James Madison scored three of its four runs on solo homers, two of which game from Julia Dominguez. Dominguez homered to right to lead off the second inning for the Dukes; she later hit one over the left field fence in the fourth. Brittney Dyson then led off the JMU fifth inning with another solo shot to right.
JMU added a fourth insurance run in the sixth inning. With two outs, Dominguez walked and was replaced on the base paths by pinch runner Kendra Johnson. Johnson came around to score from first when the next batter, Jennifer Chavez, doubled to center.
Fourth-year Whitney Holstun pitched a complete game for Virginia in the circle, allowing four runs, all earned, on six hits. Holstun also struck out one and walked one.
The Cavaliers welcome FloridaState for a three-game ACC series beginning Friday at the Park. Virginia and FSU will play a doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The 4 p.m. game will be broadcast on ACC Select at www.accselect.com.