Virginia Sweeps Liberty, 7-3 and 7-6

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April 24, 2013

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

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LYNCHBURG, Va.–The Virginia softball team used the big inning and the long ball to earn a sweep of Liberty, 7-3 and 7-6, Wednesday afternoon (April 24) at Liberty Softball Field in Lynchburg, Va. With the wins, the Cavaliers improved to 20-25 on the season, while the Flames fell to 19-30.

Senior Taylor Williams (Woodbridge, Va.) became the seventh UVa player to record 50 career-stolen bases. With three today, she now has 52. She also made two diving catches in the first game to prevent Liberty runs.

In the top of the first game, Williams and junior Marcy Bowdren (Fairfax Station, Va.) led off with singles. Williams came home on a groundout by junior Karli Johnson (Lovettsville, Va.), while Bowdren scored on a passed ball.

After senior Kristen Hawkins (Elizabeth, Pa.) hit a single to center and classmate Alex Skinkis (La Palma, Calif.) reached on an error, junior Peyton Larus hit a two-run double off the wall in left center to push the lead to 4-0.

The Cavaliers added another run in the fourth when freshman Shannon McGinley (Prairie Valley, Kan.) singled through the left side to score Larus.

In the fifth, sophomore Megan Harris (Knoxville, Tenn.) launched her fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right center that scored Johnson, to extend UVa’s lead to 7-2.

Liberty’s Sammi Shivock hit a home run in the fourth inning, her seventh of the season.

Senior pitcher Melanie Mitchell (White Plains, Md.) earned the complete game win, allowing three runs on six hits with 11 strikeouts.

LU’s Chandler Ball (8-13) gave up seven runs (five earned) with five strikeouts in seven innings for the loss.

In the second game, the Cavaliers again used the long ball and the big inning to build a 5-1 lead and held on for a 7-6 victory.

Bowdren and senior Lauren Didlake (Bowling Green, Va.) each hit long solo home runs in the first and fourth innings, respectively.

The Cavaliers scored four in the third frame that included a three-run double by Skinkis.

Kelby Allen kept Liberty close with a three-run home run in the bottom of the third.

UVa added an insurance run in the sixth when Williams’ single scored Didlake and push the Cavalier lead to 7-5. Kassidy McCoy hit a solo home run for Liberty in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to one, but Mitchell threw three strikeouts in the seventh to close out the game.

Freshman pitcher Aimee Chapdelaine (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) allowed five runs in three innings of work. Mitchell (15-15) came on with a runner on in the fourth and pitched four innings, allowing one run with six strikeouts.

LU starter Annah Jo Brittingham (8-10) lasted 3.1 innings, giving up six runs with three strikeouts. Chandler Ball allowed one run in 3.2 innings of relief.

Up next, the Cavaliers close out the regular season with a three-game series against in state rival Virginia Tech April 28-29. Sunday’s doubleheader is scheduled for a noon start, while Monday’s single game is slated for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPNU.