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Virginia Beats Radford 5-2 and 4-2
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (29-18) took a doubleheader from Radford (29-12) to snap the Highlanders’ 13-game win streak Wednesday at The Park. The Cavaliers won the first game 5-2, sitting through a rain delay, and came back twice to take game two, 4-2. It was the final non-conference matchup of the season for Virginia.
The Cavaliers outhit Radford 8-5 in the first game, led by two hits from junior Lauren McCaskey. Freshman Melanie Mitchell tossed a complete game, her 26th of the season, to earn the victory. She finished with 10 strikeouts.
Virginia’s first four batters each recorded hits and scored runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Alex Skinkis singled to center and scored when McCaskey doubled down the right field line. Nicole Koren then singled to left to score McCaskey and Sarah Tacke followed with a two-run homer to right center.
The Cavaliers made it 5-0 in the second when senior Abby Snyder led off with a solo shot to left, her first long ball of the season.
After the third and fourth innings came and went with no score, thunder and lightning forced both teams to retreat to shelter. Heavy rain followed and the tarp was pulled onto the field. After an hour and 46 minute delay, play resumed in the top of the fifth inning.
The Highlanders managed to put up a run in the sixth and seventh innings to cut into Virginia’s lead on solo home runs from Nicole Beall and Kristen Shifflett.
Radford’s Chelsea Kelley took the loss. She pitched all six innings, finishing with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Cavaliers trailed by a run at two different points in game two and came back to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth, which proved to be the difference.
Virginia again outhit the Highlanders, 9-7. Snyder, Skinkis and Clara Kendall eached tallied a pair of hits in the winning effort.
Sophomore Stephanie Coates earned the win in the complete game outing while Kellie Snooks took the loss for Radford.
The Highlanders took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Sarah Himan belted a solo home run over the fence in left center.
The Cavaliers were able to tie the game in the third. Snyder led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a Taylor Williams sacrifice bunt. She later scored on a wild pitch.
Radford answered with a run in the top of the fourth. Shannon Keefe singled to left to lead things off. After moving to second on a passed ball, Meredith Moore singled to left to score Keefe.
Again, UVa was able to tie the game. In the fifth, Kendall started the stanza with an infield single. With one out, Snyder singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. Then with two outs, Skinkis singled to left to score Kendall and tie the game.
Virginia generated the offense again in the sixth and put together a string of hits. Tacke singled to right with one out and took second on a fielding error. Giannina Cipolloni followed with a triple to left, scoring Tacke. Cipolloni then came around to score on Kendall’s RBI single to right.
The Cavaliers head to Boston to continue ACC play this weekend. Virginia will take on the Eagles in a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. The squad needs one more conference win to set the school record.