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GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Virginia softball team (4-0) knocked off Canisius 7-2 and shut out Drexel 14-0 in five innings Saturday as the Pirate Classic continued in Greenville, N.C.

Junior Kristen Hawkins (Elizabeth, Pa.) and sophomore Erica Cipolloni (Philadelphia, Pa.) each homered twice in the win over Canisius while every Virginia starter recorded either a hit or RBI in the second game against Drexel.

In the first game of the day, Virginia strung together 10 hits, led by a 4-for-4 performance at the plate from Hawkins, who tallied two singles in addition to her two homers. She also accumulated four RBI in the winning effort.

Freshman pitcher Rachel Gillen (Wilmington, Del.) threw her second straight complete game to earn the win. She allowed two runs on eight hits while striking out six.

The Cavaliers scored twice in the second. After back-to-back walks from Stephanie Harris (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Alex Skinkis (La Palma, Calif.), Marcy Bowdren (Fairfax Station, Va.) moved both runners over on a groundout to the right side. The next batter, Hawkins, singled through the left side to score Harris. Gillen followed with another ball to the right side that allowed Skinkis to come home as Virginia took a 2-0 lead.

Canisius answered back scoring two runs in the top of the third. But Virginia quickly rallied to put up three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Cipolloni led off the inning with a solo home run to left center. Then with two outs, Bowdren drew a walk before Hawkins stepped to the plate and blasted a two-run shot over the centerfield fence.

Virginia added a run in the fourth, when Cipolloni homered for the second time, and in the fifth, when Hawkins led off with her second homer.

Amanda Baun – who took the loss – and Jen Consaul each threw three innings for Canisius. Baun allowed five runs on four hits with two strikeouts and Consaul gave up two runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

In the second game, the Virginia offense put up 14 runs on 13 hits and scored eight runs in the top of the fifth inning for a dominate win over Drexel. Cipolloni and senior Alexa Martinez (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) were both 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBI.

Junior pitcher Melanie Mitchell allowed just three hits and struck out eight in four innings of work en route to picking up her second win of the season. She also helped her cause at the plate with a double and three RBI in the contest.

Senior Stephanie Coates (Gloucester, Va.) came on to throw the fifth inning. She did not allow a hit and struck out one in the final stanza.

Senior Giannina Cipolloni (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Skinkis each chipped in two hits as well for the Cavaliers.

Virginia concludes play in the Pirate Classic Sunday with a 12 p.m. game against host East Carolina.

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