Virginia Closes Regular Season Tuesday

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia softball (20-30) hosts Hampton (23-23) on Tuesday, April 30 in a 4 p.m. doubleheader at The Park. The twin bill marks the conclusion of the regular season for the Cavaliers.
 
The Cavaliers enter the doubleheader after sweeping NC State in the final ACC series of the season. Admission to all Virginia softball home games is free in the 2019 season.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Both games will air on ACC Network Extra, available to authenticated subscribers on the ESPN app and WatchESPN. A link to the broadcasts and live stats is available on VirginiaSports.com.
 
SWEET SWEEP
• In its final ACC series of the season, Virginia swept NC State on the road to all but clinch an ACC Tournament berth.
• Freshman Aly Rayle (Herndon, Va.) earned all three wins in the circle, becoming the first Cavalier pitcher since Melanie Mitchell in 2010 to single-handedly sweep a series.
• The Cavaliers hit seven homers in the series, racking up 31 runs. The 31 runs are the most ever in an ACC series for the Cavaliers.
• Friday’s 12-0 win was UVA’s first ACC shutout and largest ACC win since 2016.
 
RAYLE ROLLIN’
• Rayle tossed her first career shutout in the opener at NC State, allowing just a single hit in the 12-0 victory. The one-hitter is the first for Virginia since 2013.
• In her last six outings on the road, Rayle has produced a 2.86 ERA in 29.1 IP. She’s tossed three complete games in that stretch, while also recording all 21 outs in another game.
• In the NC State series, Rayle fanned 22 Wolfpack while only issuing four walks.
• Rayle’s 11 strikeouts in just five innings in Friday’s 12-0 win were the most by a UVA pitcher since 2013. It was also the first shutout by a freshman since Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) in 2016.
 
WHAT’S THE BUZZ
• Sophomore Hayley Busby (Phoenix, Ariz.) is riding an 11-game hitting streak, a career-long for the third baseman. In each of the last four games, Busby has recorded multiple hits.
• After a two home run game at NC State, she now has 10 homers on the year. Busby is one of 14 Cavaliers to ever hit 10 homers in a single season.
• She’s hit two home runs in a single game twice this season.
• Busby has recorded 16 doubles on the season thus far, setting a career high. The mark is also seventh-most all-time at UVA.
• She ranks third in the ACC in doubles, one off the lead.
• Busby’s 16 doubles are three shy of the Virginia single-season record.
 
FAREWELL TO THE PARK
• Since 1995, Virginia softball has called The Park its picturesque home. On Tuesday, the Cavaliers will play their final games ever at the facility.
• Virginia has played 476 games at The Park entering Tuesday’s doubleheader. The Cavaliers are 258-218 (.542) all-time at The Park.
• Virginia will move to its new home, currently under construction at the corner of Massie and Copeley Road, to begin the 2020 season.
 
VERSUS HAMPTON
• Virginia and Hampton are meeting for the seventh and eighth time in series history on Tuesday. Virginia leads the series 4-2.
• The Cavaliers and Pirates have met once already this season at the Elon Classic with UVA taking a 2-0 win.
• Graduate student Allyson Frei (Branchville, N.J.) tossed a CG shutout, fanning 10 Pirates in the earlier meeting.

UP NEXT
Virginia will learn its ACC Tournament fate over the course of the next week. The ACC Tournament is set to begin on Wednesday, May 8 in Tallahassee, Fla.