Cavaliers Fall to Campbell 7-2

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BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Virginia softball team (1-1) dropped the second game of opening day with a 7-2 setback to host Campbell Friday at the Hampton Inn Tournament in Buies Creek, N.C. Junior Kennedy Byxbee led the Cavalier offense with a 2-for-3 performance from the plate, while also scoring a run.

Campbell (1-0) opened its season vs. Virginia and outhit the Cavaliers 9-5, but committed four errors in the field. UVa did not commit an error.

Freshman Marcy Bowdren, sophomore Alex Skinkis and junior Alexa Martinez also recorded hits in the loss. Junior Giannina Cipolloni and sophomore Kristen Hawkins each tallied a RBI.

The Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Skinkis led off the stanza with a double to left and stole third. She would come into score on Hawkins’ groundout to second base.

But Campbell responded in the bottom half of the inning, putting up five runs for a 5-1 lead. The Camels added two more scores in the third inning to take a 7-1 advantage.

Virginia got a run back in the fifth. Byxbee led off with a double to left center and moved to third on an Alison Pittman groundout. Byxbee tagged on Cipolloni’s sacrifice flyout to center to cut the lead to 7-2.

After a hit by pitch and two fielding errors in the seventh, Virginia loaded the bases up but was unable to score.

Sophomore pitcher Melanie Mitchell (1-1) took the loss. She compiled six strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work.

Campbell’s Brittany Arnn earned the victory after allowing one run on three hits and had three strikeouts in four innings of work. Teammate Olivia Scarborough came on to throw the final three innings; she gave up one run on two hits with two strikeouts.

Keeli Michael led the Camels at the plate with a single and two doubles.

Virginia concludes play Saturday at Campbell’s Hampton Inn Tournament. The Cavaliers will face Drexel at 11 a.m. before seeding determines whether UVa will play its final game at 4 p.m. or 6 p.m.