Virginia Splits Games To Open Spartan Classic

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Box Score Feb. 26, 2016

Box Score vs. USC Upstate | Box Score vs. Ohio

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Virginia (4-8) softball team got a pair of home runs from sophomore Danni Ingraham (Laguna Nigel, Calif.) and a big bases-loaded rally in the seventh inning of game two to pick up a split in a pair of games Friday (Feb. 26) at the Spartan Classic.

The Cavaliers fell to host USC Upstate (9-1) in the first game of the day by a score of 11-1 in six innings. The Cavaliers then closed the day with an 8-7 win over Ohio (4-2) in game two of the afternoon.

Virginia chipped away at the lead in game two against the Bobcats, using a big rally with the bases loaded in the seventh to take the lead before escaping a bases-loaded jam in the home half of the frame to pick up the win.

Virginia will return to action at the Spartan Classic on Saturday (Feb. 27), facing LaSalle at 11 a.m. before facing Ohio again at 5 p.m. Both games will be played at Pepsi Field in Greenville, S.C.

Game 1
USC Upstate 11, Virginia 1 (6 Innings)

Big offensive outbursts in the fifth and sixth innings proved to be problematic for the Cavaliers in game one of the day at the Spartan Classic.

Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) fell to 2-6 on the season as she allowed 11 runs – eight of them earned – on 11 hits. She walked three and struck out three through 5.2 innings of work.

The Spartans took advantage of heads up base running in the first inning to get on the board. A walk and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position before Ansley Gilstrap would lay down a bunt to put runners at the corners. While the Cavaliers were chasing Gilstrap in a rundown between first and second, Kendsey Chappelear took off for home before to put USC Upstate on top 1-0.

Osherow helped herself out in the second inning, sending a home run over the wall in left center to tie the game 1-1.

USC Upstate moved back into the lead in the fourth inning, opening the inning with a solo home run from Amy Szymanowski. The Spartans led 2-1 heading to the fifth inning.

The Spartans built on the lead in the fifth inning, using back-to-back fortuitous hits on a bad hop and a weak roller to put the first two runners on base. A sac bunt moved them both into scoring position before Brittany Case singled through the left side to bring the first run home.

Another infield single, this one on a ground ball knocked down to save a run by Lauren Heintzelman (Southlake, Texas), loaded the bases with one out. Szymanowski then hit a two-RBI single through the left side as USC Upstate moved out to a 5-1 lead.

A three-run home run in the next at bat pushed the lead out to 8-1 for the home team before the Cavaliers would get out of the inning.

A three-run home run with two outs in the sixth ended the game as USC Upstate picked up the 11-1 victory in six innings.

Game 2
Virginia 8, Ohio 7

Virginia used multiple-run innings in the fourth, sixth and seventh to rally from an early deficit to pick up a win in game two.

Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.), who made the start, picked up her first save of the season against the Bobcats. She allowed seven runs – three of them earned – on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout through 6.1 innings of work.

Osherow (3-6) picked up the win in 0.2 innings of relief work. She struck out two and allowed two hits in her time in the circle.

Following back-to-back hits to open the second inning, a fielding error on a ground ball to second allowed the Bobcats to take a 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers. Another fielding error, this time on a ground ball to short, allowed a third run to come home as Ohio moved in front 3-0.

The Bobcats continued to score, adding two more runs in the inning to hold the 5-0 lead on the Cavaliers after two innings of play.

Virginia got two runs back in the fourth when Iyana Hughes (Manteca, Calif.) reached on an infield single and then took advantage of wild pitches and passed balls to make her home. Danni Ingraham (Laguna Nigel, Calif.) then hit a solo home run to cut the lead to 5-2 after the top of the fourth.

Ingraham went yard again in the sixth inning, this time delivering a two-run shot to cut the lead to 5-4 as the Cavaliers continued to whittle away at the lead. After changing pitchers, Virginia put two more runners on base before Smith delivered a two-RBI double to give the Cavaliers the 6-5 lead.

The Bobcats tied it up in the bottom of the sixth, using a single and a sac bunt to put a runner in scoring position. A passed ball on ball four put runners at the corners before replaced Smith in the circle. Osherow promptly struck out the first batter faced to put two away in the inning.

Ohio won the battle in the next at bat, getting a two-RBI single up the middle to take the lead back 7-6 before Virginia would get out of the inning.

The Cavaliers again found a rally in the seventh, loaded the bases before Kaitlin Fitzgerald (Placentia, Calif.) would drop a base hit into right field and two runs came home for Virginia. The Cavaliers led 8-7 heading into the bottom of the inning.

With two outs on the board in the bottom of the seventh, Ohio put together an answering rally. With a runner on first, the next two batters reached on a bunt and a fielding error at short to load the bases.

Game 1
USC Upstate 11, Virginia 1 (Feb 26, 2016 at Spartanburg, S.C.)
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Virginia………… 010 000 – 1 3 1 (3-8)
USC Upstate……… 100 163 – 11 11 0 (9-1)
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Pitchers: Virginia – and Katie Park. USC Upstate – MCKINNON and MILLETE.
Win-MCKINNON(3-1) Loss-Erika Osherow(2-6) T-1:30 A-95
HR VA – (2).
HR UPST – RECTOR (3); SZYMANOWSKI (4); BEASLEY (3).
Weather: 48 degrees, sunny, windy

Game 2
Virginia 8, Ohio 7 (Feb 26, 2016 at Spartanburg, S.C.)
———————————————————————-
Virginia………… 000 204 2 – 8 7 6 (4-8)
Ohio……………. 050 002 0 – 7 10 3 (4-2)
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Pitchers: Virginia – ; Erika Osherow(7) and Olivia Gott; Katie Park. Ohio – DORSEY, S.; STIENE, D.(6) and CLAYTOR, M..
Win-Erika Osherow(3-6) Save-Lacy Smith(1) Loss-STIENE, D.(3-1) T-2:18 A-54
HR VA – Danni Ingraham 2.
Weather: 50 degrees, sunny
E. Osherow faced 1 batter in the 7th.