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Softball
Smith Sparks Rout of Southern
Feb. 10, 2018
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Virginia softball exploded for 14 runs, the most since 2015, as the Cavaliers routed Southern University 14-2 in five innings Saturday (Feb. 10).
Junior Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) ignited the offensive outburst with her three-run shot in the bottom of the first. Smith went on to finish the day with a career-high five RBI, a mark that ties for third in Virginia single-game history.
Battling rain all day long, command in the circle proved elusive for either side. Southern capitalized on a pair of walks in the first inning to score a run, but Virginia (2-3) responded immediately.
Ashlee Davis (Gilbert, Ariz.) sparked the Hoos with a one-out single and Olivia Gott (Weston, Fla.) followed with a double down the right filed line. That’s when Smith uncorked her first home run of the season and ninth of her career. The no-doubt shot to left put Virginia ahead 3-1 and the Cavaliers would never trail again.
In the second, the Hoos broke the game open with a nine-run inning. The nine runs mark the most in a single inning for the Cavaliers since March 31, 2015, against Western Carolina. Rachel Keshin (New Canaan, Conn.) doubled home Kate Covington (McLean, Va.) for the first run of the inning before Virginia used five straight walks and a hit-by-pitch to plate four more.
Ashley Jennings (Forest, Va.) recorded her first hit as a Cavalier, singling through the right side and driving home two more. Allison Davis (Oak Hill, Va.) followed with her own two-run single to right, making it 12-1 Hoos.
A third-inning triple from Janelle Zellars (Forest, Va.), her first career base hit, drove home another Virginia run. Zellars would score on a ground ball off the bat of Smith who picked up her fifth RBI of the game.
Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) picked up her first win of the season, working 4 1/3 innings while allowing just a single earned run on one hit. Janelle Zellars worked 2/3 of an inning, her first action in the circle for the Hoos, allowing an unearned run.
AT THE PLATE
- Nine different Cavaliers recorded a hit in the victory.
- Allison Davis finished the afternoon 2-for-2 with a pair of RBI.
- Jennings, Rachel Keshin and Janelle Zellars all recorded their first hit at Virginia.
- The Hoos’ 14 RBI marked the most since Feb. 6, 2015, against UTEP.
UP NEXT
The 14-2 victory concludes the Cowgirl Classic for the Cavaliers. Virginia heads to the Madeira Beach Classic next weekend (Feb. 16-18) to play five games in three days in Madeira Beach, Fla.