Virginia Home Opener Spoiled by Rutgers

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In the first home game of the season, Virginia (5-9) fell 4-0 to Rutgers (7-9) on Thursday (Feb. 28) night at The Park.
 
The bulk of Rutgers’ damage came in the third inning of what was otherwise a pitchers’ duel. Allyson Frei (Branchville, N.J.) took the loss, going the distance in the circle for the Cavaliers. Frei (2-5) struck out nine and held the Scarlet Knights to just six hits, but Virginia could not provide any run support in the loss.
 
Whitney Jones (5-5) tossed 5 2/3 innings for Rutgers to earn the win. She allowed just two hits in helping the Scarlet Knights shutout the Cavaliers.
 
KEY INNING
A pair of full-count walks in the top of the third set the table for Rutgers, which capitalized with a triple from Anyssa Iliopoulos and a single to plate three runs in the inning. The big frame gave the Scarlet Knights a 3-0 lead.
 
TOUCHING HOME
• Iliopoulos’ triple was the first hit of the game, plating a pair in the third. She scored on Katie Wingert’s single a batter later.  
• Wingert snuck a two-out double down the left field line in the top of the seventh to ice the game for Rutgers with her second RBI of the night.

ON THE LINES
• This is the second time Rutgers has defeated Virginia 4-0 in a Cavaliers’ home opener. The Scarlet Knights also earned a 4-0 win in 2004 at The Park.
• Hayley Busby (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished 2-for-3 on the night and was the only Cavalier with multiple hits.
• Olivia Gott (Weston, Fla.) and Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) provided the other hits for the Cavaliers.
 
UP NEXT
Virginia returns to action at The Park on Friday (March 1) to begin play in the Cavalier Classic. The Hoos will play a pair of games on Friday, facing Buffalo at 3 p.m. before playing Delaware at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free to all Virginia softball home games in 2019.