Virginia's Rally Comes Up Short At Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Virginia (0-1) got a pair of home runs as part of a nine-hit performance, but the rally down the stretch came up short as the Cavaliers fell at Charlotte (1-0) by a score of 10-7 on Thursday (Feb. 10) at the Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Charlotte took the early lead with a bases-loaded sac fly in the first inning. Virginia would answer with a run in the top of the second when Sarah Coon scored on a groundout to short from Leah Boggs.

The 49ers put together a big second inning, using a three-run home run as part of a six-run inning to take the 7-1 lead on the Cavaliers. Virginia would cut back into the lead, pushing home two runs in the fourth and a using a solo home run from Tori Gilbert in the fifth to pull within three at 7-4.

Charlotte would use a second home run, this time a solo shot in the fifth, to push the lead back out to four runs. Virginia’s Kate Covington would then hit a three-run shot in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-7 before Charlotte would cap the scoring with two runs in the home half of the sixth to take a 10-7 lead that would hold.

Savanah Henley (0-1) took the loss for the Hoos, allowing five runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout in 1.0 inning of work in her start.

Lindsey Walljasper (1-0) picked up the win for the 49ers, allowing four runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts through 5.0 innings of work.

NOTES ON THE GAME
• Virginia is now 23-4 all-time against the Charlotte 49ers.
• Four players made their first starts for UVA: Kelly Ayer, Sarah Coon, Lauren Vanassche and Savanah Henley.
• Coon scored her first collegiate run and recorded her first hit with a double in the second inning.
• Leah Boggs pushed her hit streak to six games and has reached safely in eight straight dating back to last season.
• Boggs also caught two base runners stealing, throwing out runners in the third and the fifth.
• Kate Covington’s home run was the 14th of her career and her 11th career multiple-RBI game.
• Aly Rayle worked 4.0 innings in relief, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and strikeouts.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“It was a fun and competitive game. Our team showed a lot of resilience to cut it to a one-run game after falling behind seven to one. Kate Covington came up with a big swing and it was exciting for her as a fifth-year to be ready to go in that moment. It was clearly not the result we wanted, but there were a lot of positive takeaways and we know how good we can be. We’re not the team we want to be, but that’s what these games and weekends are for – to learn more about ourselves and keep getting better. I’m looking forward to the next four games,

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia continues to play on the road at the Gamecock Invitational this weekend. Play at South Carolina begins on Friday (Feb. 11) when the Cavaliers face Lipscomb at 3:30 p.m. and then close the day against South Carolina at 6 p.m. on SEC Network +.