Gilbert Ignites 7-1 Win at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA – Freshman Tori Gilbert (Mechanicsville, Va.) hit her first career home run to spark Virginia (14-11, 4-2 ACC) to a 7-1 victory over Georgia Tech (18-11, 3-3 ACC) in the series finale at Mewborn Field on Sunday (March 17).
 
Senior Lacy Smith (Lancaster, Pa.) finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and launched her 11th home run of the season to lead the Cavaliers. Smith extended her hitting streak to 15 games and set a new career high with her 29th RBI of the season.
 
Graduate student Allyson Frei (Branchville, N.J.) tossed a complete game, surrendering just a single run while scattering six hits to improve to 5-6 on the year. She struck out four in the outing.

KEY INNING
Virginia got off to a quick start by hanging three runs on the board in the top of the second. Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) worked a lead-off walk before a single from Abigail Barber (Providence Forge, Va.) put two aboard. Gilbert plated all three runs with her two-out blast to left center.

TOUCHING HOME
• Gilbert jumped on the first pitch she saw for the three-run home run to put Virginia on the board first in the top of the second.
• Ashlee Davis (Gilbert, Ariz.) lifted a sacrifice fly to the wall in the top of the third and Osherow later scored on an obstruction call at the plate to make it 5-0 Cavaliers.
• Smith added to the Virginia lead with her solo home run in the fourth, tagging the top of the scoreboard in left center.
• Georgia Tech pulled one run back in the fifth inning on a bases-loaded groundout from Crosby Huckabay.
• Donna Friedman (Orange, Calif.) and Osherow drove back-to-back doubles in the seventh to add an insurance run for the 7-1 lead.

ON THE LINES
• Smith’s 4-for-4 performance matches her career high for hits in a game, set earlier this season.
• Gilbert became the ninth Cavalier to homer this season.
• Friedman finished 2-for-3 at the plate, her best ACC performance thus far.
• Osherow also finished 2-for-3 and added her 12th RBI of the season.
• With the victory, Virginia eclipsed its 2018 total for ACC wins.
 
UP NEXT
Virginia concludes its six-game road trip with a Tuesday (March 19) trek to Maryland.