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CHARLOTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia softball team (7-16, 2-4 ACC) welcomes Radford for a doubleheader Wednesday and will play host to the 2008 Cavalier Classic beginning Thursday at The Park.
Radford and Virginia are two of the five teams participating in the Cavalier Classic. Georgetown, Rutgers and Ohio will also compete in the event.
Virginia is coming off a weekend ACC series with Florida State in which the Cavaliers were swept by the Seminoles 9-1, 8-3 and 5-1. Last week the squad also split with James Madison, losing 4-0 before beating the Dukes 2-1.
Second-year Kelly Haller leads UVa at the plate with a .357 batting average and is second in RBI (11) and third in hits (20). Third-year Carly Winger is hitting .333 and is second in hits (21) and tied for third in RBI (10). Lindsey Preuss has a team-best 22 hits, including four home runs, and is tied for third with 10 RBI on the year.
Radford (16-7) returns to Virginia after playing in the USF Under Amour Showcase in Clearwater, Fla. The Highlanders finished 2-2 on the weekend, defeating Rutgers 11-0 and Indiana 1-0 while losing to Massachusetts 1-0 and Florida International 3-0. Earlier in the weekend they defeated Penn State 1-0 and Fordham 6-4.
Much of Radford’s weekend success can be attributed to senior Ashley Taylor, whose performance earned her Big South Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season. Taylor went 3-1, throwing two shutouts and posting an 0.28 ERA. She now holds the Radford career shutouts record with 21. Senior catcher Cassie Rhodes is also coming off a strong weekend. In the victory over Rutgers, she had five RBI and two home runs, including a grand slam.
The Cavalier Classic opens Thursday at 5 p.m. when UVa plays Georgetown. The Cavalier-Hoya match-up will feature the Preuss sisters suiting up for opposing teams. Lindsey is a fourth-year outfielder for Virginia and Kristi is a freshman infielder for Georgetown. Following the UVa-Georgetown game, Radford and Rutgers will battle at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Georgetown (8-21) hosted the Hoya Invitational last weekend and went 2-1, losing to Seton Hall (3-1) before defeating Mount St. Mary’s (7-3) and Holy Cross (3-0). Earlier in the weekend, the Hoyas split a doubleheader with Towson.
Sophomore shortstop Samantha Peters leads the Hoyas with a .344 batting average. She also leads the team in both home runs (six) and RBI (18). Georgetown has seen strong offensive performances from freshman Aimee Moffat, whose four homers and 16 RBI are second on the team, and sophomore Suria Bahadue, who has two home runs and 12 RBI, which ranks third.
On Friday, Georgetown and Ohio play at 10 a.m., followed by Rugters vs. Georgetown at 12:30 and Ohio vs. Radford at 3. The Cavaliers will play Radford again at approximately 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, UVa will battle with Rutgers at 10 a.m. before the Scarlet Knights take on Ohio at 12:30. Virginia will then face the Bobcats at 3 p.m., followed by the final game of the tournament, Georgetown and Radford, at 5:30.
Rutgers (9-10) returns to action after playing in the USF Under Armour Invitational. The Scarlet Knights went 2-2 on the weekend, losing to Radford 11-0 and Massachusetts 8-0 but defeating Indiana 6-4 and Florida International 4-3.
Freshman Mandy Craig has posted a .308 batting average, and her 12 RBI lead Rutgers. Senior Mallory Miller’s .324 batting average also leads the team, and her 10 RBI are second. Junior Sarah Kalka emerges as the team’s powerhouse, leading the team in home runs (two) and extra-base hits (five).
Ohio (6-7) visits Virginia after playing in the Winthrop Adidas Invitational in Rock Hill, S.C., in which the squad went 2-2. The Bobcats lost to Winthrop (2-0) and Albany (2-1) but defeated North Carolina A&T (2-0) and Fairfield (13-4).
Senior Courtney Waters was named to the All-Tournament team at the Winthrop Adidas Invitational. Her batting average (.293) is third for the Bobcats and her 12 hits rank second. Other offensive leaders are senior Maureen McKelvey, whose .374 batting average and 13 hits leads the team, and senior Kristen Salvatore, who paces the team with six RBI and hit the only home run.
The University of Virginia Softball
Cavalier Classic
March 20-22, 2008
Thursday, March 20
5 p.m.
UVA vs. Georgetown
7:30 p.m.
Radford vs. Rutgers
Friday, March 21
10 a.m.
Georgetown vs. Ohio
12:30 p.m.
Rutgers vs. Georgetown
3 p.m.
Ohio vs. Radford
5:30 p.m.
UVA vs. Radford
Saturday, March 22
10 a.m.
UVA vs. Rutgers
12:30 p.m.
Ohio vs. Rutgers
3 p.m.
Ohio vs. UVA
5:30 p.m.
Georgetown vs. Radford