Virginia Treks to Tennessee Classic

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia softball (4-5) returns to action with a five-game slate at the Tennessee Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. beginning Saturday (Feb. 23) and continuing through Monday (Feb. 25).
 
The Cavaliers will open the tournament at noon on Saturday against No. 7 Tennessee (8-2). Virginia will then face Kansas (2-8) on Sunday (Feb. 24) before a second matchup with the host Lady Vols. The final day of the Tennessee Classic slates the Cavaliers against Bradley (5-5) and Louisville(4-5).
 
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Saturday, Feb. 23 – Noon | at Tennessee
Sunday, Feb. 24 – 9:30 a.m. | vs. Kansas
Sunday, Feb. 24 – 2:30 p.m. | at Tennessee
Monday, Feb. 25 – 9:30 a.m. | vs. Bradley
Monday, Feb. 25 – Noon | vs. Louisville
 
GAME COVERAGE
Fans can watch both matchups against the seventh-ranked Lady Vols on SEC Network+. The digital network is available on WatchESPN and the ESPN app to validated cable subscribers. Live stats are available for all five games over the weekend with links available at VirginiaSports.com.
 
HOO TO WATCH
• Senior Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) leads Virginia with a .419 batting average and nine RBI on the season.
• Smith has already hit three home runs in 2019, halfway to her season-long total a year ago.
• Last weekend at Elon, Smith went 7-for-14 at the plate with a pair of homers and five RBI in four games.
 
IN THE CIRCLE
• The Virginia pitching staff was dominant at the Elon Classic, allowing just four earned runs to post a 0.97 team ERA over the weekend.
• Allyson Frei (Branchville, N.J.) tossed a complete game shutout against Hampton. Frei struck out 10 in the game, becoming the first Cavalier to hit double-digits since 2013.
• Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) and freshman Aly Rayle (Herndon, Va.) did not allow an earned run in 6 2/3 and 5 1/3 innings of work, respectively.
• Rayle picked up her first two collegiate victories over the weekend, striking out eight without issuing a walk. She allowed only a single hit.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
• Hayley Busby (Phoenix, Ariz.) leads the ACC and is 16th in the country with five doubles on the season.
• Virginia ranks 31st in doubles per game, averaging 1.89 per contest.
• Molly Keshin (New Canaan, Conn.) ranks second in the ACC and is 21st nationally with 0.88 stolen bases per game.
• Osherow is fourth in the ACC and 78th nationally with a 1.24 ERA.
• Frei sits third in the ACC and is 46th in the country with an average of nine strikeouts per seven innings.
• Virginia’s .475 slugging percentage is 62nd in the country.
• The Cavaliers are 68th in the nation in home runs per game and fifth in the ACC.
 
THE MATCHUPS
• Virginia faces a familiar foe in Louisville as the ACC rivals meet in a non-conference affair on Monday. The Cavaliers and Cardinals do not play an ACC series this season.
• Virginia returns to Knoxville and faces the Lady Vols for the first time since the 2010 NCAA Regional. The trip is the only postseason appearance in Virginia history. Tennessee leads the all-time series 7-2.
• In that 2010 regional, Virginia earned its first-ever NCAA postseason victory by downing Louisville.
• Sunday’s meeting with Kansas will be the second ever and first in 20 years. Virginia captured the only previous game, 3-2.
• Virginia and Bradley are meeting for the fourth time with the Cavaliers leading the series 2-1.