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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia softball team (19-9, 2-4 ACC) is set to play a pair of midweek doubleheaders beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday on the road against George Mason. The Cavaliers will return home for a 5 p.m. doubleheader with Liberty at The Park.
The game with the Patriots is a made-up day from a rainout back on March 3.
The Cavaliers look to rebound from a 1-2 performance in a three-game series against ACC and state rival Virginia Tech last weekend. Senior pitcher Karla Wilburn pulled out a win in the first game, pitching a complete game with three strikeouts and only two runs allowed on six hits. Virginia lost the next two games after the Hokies compiled 17 hits and 15 runs in total over both contests.
Redshirt junior Sarah Tacke leads the Cavaliers hitting squad with a .440 batting average, 33 hits and 33 RBI over the course of the season. She is also the home run leader on the team with eight home runs, along with redshirt sophomore Nicole Koren. Wilburn leads Virginia in the circle with a 2.03 ERA and 75 strikeouts.
Virginia will face George Mason (13-17, 0-6 CAA), which is coming off a six-game losing streak, after falling in three-game series against Hofstra and Towson to open conference play.
Morgan Davis leads the team with a .324 batting average and 18 RBI, while Tori Dudley is batting .281 at the plate and leads the Patriots in hitting with 25 hits. The Patriots will also be looking for help from junior Becky Anderson. Anderson is the team leader with a 2.53 ERA and 79 strikeouts on the season.
The Cavaliers lead the all-time series with George Mason, 52-24, including the last 20 consecutive contests. Last season, Virginia swept the Patriots in a doubleheader, 5-3 and 6-2, in Charlottesville.
After batting George Mason on Tuesday, Virginia will return home to play host to Liberty (11-18, 0-2 Big South). The Flames will look to bounce back from being swept in a three-game series against Winthrop.
Freshman Danielle Howard leads the team with a batting average of .264 and 19 hits with junior J’nae Jefferson closely following with a .256 batting average but with a total of 22 hits. Senior Beth Bennett additionally leads the team with 11 RBI and has compiled a .238 batting average.
The Cavaliers lead the all-time series with Liberty, 34-16. Last season, the Cavaliers split a doubleheader, winning the first game 7-6 before falling 9-6 on the road.