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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia softball team (24-13) split a doubleheader with Longwood (16-15) Wednesday at The Park. The Lancers took the first game 9-5 before the Cavaliers battled back to win game two, 5-1. Nicole Koren, Sarah Tacke and Carly Winger each homered on the day.
In the second game, sophomore Allee Rife (1-2) picked up her first win of the season, pitching a complete game and allowing just one run on four hits. Rife also fanned three batters on the night.
Winger and Tacke hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the second inning as Virginia took a 2-1 lead. Giannina Cipolloni then led off the third with a triple and scored on an Abby Snyder RBI single up the middle.
The Cavaliers added two more in the fifth. With two outs and Rife aboard after reaching on a fielder’s choice, Winger doubled to right center to score Rife. Winger would then score on a Tacke RBI single up the middle.
Virginia outhit the Lancers 8-4 in the second game, led by Winger and Tacke’s two hits apiece.
Karla Wilburn started the first game but only tossed 1 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits. Stephanie Coates came on in relief to throw the final 5 2/3. She gave up seven hits but did not allow an earned run while striking out three.
The Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the first. With two outs, Cipolloni recorded an infield single and stole second. Snyder followed with an RBI single to left.
After Longwood took a 6-1 advantage in the second, Virginia put up three runs in the fourth. With one out, Snyder walked and Tacke was hit by a pitch. After Koren walked to load the bases, Lauren McCaskey belted a triple to right center to clear the bases, cutting the lead to 6-4.
Longwood would add a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Virginia scores its fifth run of the game in the sixth when Koren ripped her team-leading 11th home run of the season, a solo shot to right center.
Virginia returns to ACC play this weekend at North Carolina. The Cavaliers and Tar Heels kick off the series at 6 p.m. Friday in Chapel Hill, N.C.