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Virginia Defeats Virginia Tech, 7-3, in Regular Season Finale
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April 29, 2013
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.—The Virginia softball team used 12 hits to defeat in-state rival Virginia Tech, 7-3, in its regular season finale Monday night (April 29) at The Park in Charlottesville.
Senior pitcher Melanie Mitchell (White Plains, Md.) pitched the complete game to earn the win and improve to 16-16 on the season for the Cavaliers (21-27, 4-17 ACC). Mitchell struck out 11, while giving up three runs in seven innings.
The Cavaliers took the lead in the bottom of the first when sophomore Megan Harris (Knoxville, Tenn.) hit a two-run single with the bases loaded that scored senior Taylor Williams (Woodbridge, Va.) and sophomore Heidi Velk (Murietta, Calif.).
Virginia Tech (31-16, 8-9 ACC) cut the lead to one on a solo home run by Kylie McGoldrick in the second and took a 3-2 advantage on a two-run long ball by Bailey Liddle. Bkaye Smith’s double to lead off the fifth was the Hokies’ last hit, as Mitchell retired the last nine VT batters.
UVa tied the game in the fifth on a junior Karli Johnson (Lovettsville, Va.) single that scored Velk. Later in the inning with runners on second and third, senior Lauren Didlake (Bowling Green, Va.) smashed a single down the left field line that allowed junior Marcy Bowdren (Fairfax Station, Va.) and freshman Taylor Sarcone (Staten Island, N.Y.) to score and give Virginia a 5-3 advantage.
The Cavaliers added two insurance runs in the sixth when Williams scored on a VT error and Bowdren doubled to score Velk.
VT’s Kelly Heinz allowed five runs and struck out nine in five innings of work. Jasmin Harrell gave up two runs (one earned) with two strikeouts in an inning of relief.
Next up, the Cavaliers will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., for the ACC Tournament, to be held May 9-11.