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Virginia Sweeps Day One of Cavalier Classic
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team picked up two wins after sweeping day one of the Cavalier Classic Saturday at The Park in Charlottesville, Va.
The Cavaliers defeated Delaware State 7-0 before beating Columbia 9-3.
Against the Hornets (5-1) in the first of two games, freshman Melanie Mitchell tossed a one-hitter to pick up her fourth victory of the season. The Cavaliers registered seven hits in the victory, including a two-hit, two-RBI performance from Sarah Tacke.
UVa used two walks and two hit batters and a two-run double by Abby Snyder to take a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Alex Skinkis and Kristen Hawkins both drew bases loaded walks to account for Virginia’s other two runs in the first.Tacke’s two-run single in the second staked UVa to a 6-0 lead.
The Cavaliers increased their lead to 7-0 in the fifth on pinch hitter Kennedy Byxbee’s single through the right side of the infield that plated Hawkins.
Mitchell had her bid for a perfect game broken up with one out in the fourth inning when Jordan Reid singled up the middle. Mitchell allowed just the one hit and only two Delaware State batters reached base. She struck out 13 and did not walk a batter while improving to 4-6 on the year.
Virginia picked up its second win of the day with a 9-3 victory over Columbia, where the Cavaliers outhit the Lions 10-6. Alexa Martinez led the Blue and Orange with a team-best three hits in the winning effort in her first game back after an injury suffered during the team’s opening weekend.
Columbia (0-2) and UVa both scored unearned runs in the first inning. The Lions took advantage of two Cavalier errors in the first to take a 1-0 lead. With one out, Karen Tulig reached on an error and then Dani Pineda lined out to shortstop Clara Kendall. First baseman Lauren McCaskey was struck in the side of the head when Kendall’s throw to double up Tulig at first was deflected off the runner’s helmet and Tulig was able to advance to second. She scored on pitcher Maggie Johnson’s single to right center.
In the bottom of the first, Giannina Cipolloni led off by reaching on an error. She scored when Martinez, who entered the game for McCaskey, doubled down the left field line to score Cipolloni.
Virginia added three runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Taylor Williams scored on a groundout by Tacke and Martinez scored on Kendall’s double down the right field line and Skinkis’ RBI single accounted for the third run. Cipolloni’s sacrifice fly in the fourth pushed UVa’s lead to 5-1. The Lions plated a run in the top of the fifth, but UVa answered with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take an 8-2 advantage. Kendall’s doubled down the left field line and Skinkis’ sac fly accounted for the first two runs of the inning and then and Kendall scored on an unsuccessful double-steal attempt to make it 8-2. In the sixth, Cipolloni tripled down the left field line and scored when the throw from right field got past Columbia’s second baseman to make the score 9-2.
Koren improved to 2-0 in the circle with a complete-game effort. She allowed two earned runs while striking out six.
The Cavalier Classic concludes Sunday with Delaware State and Columbia beginning the day with a 10 a.m. contest at The Park.