Virginia Set To Host JMU Tuesday Night At Palmer Park

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (28-15) returns to action on Tuesday night (April 18) when the Cavaliers host JMU (23-13) in a non-conference matchup at Palmer Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Tuesday night’s game is set for broadcast on ACC Network and can be streamed through the ESPN app and at ESPN.com. Live stats are also available for the game. Links to the live stats and stream are at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVASoftball).

LEADING OFF

• The Tuesday night game against JMU kicks off the final week of home games for the Hoos.
• UVA is coming off a weekend series at No. 4 FSU that saw the Hoos take win over the Seminoles in Tallahassee for the first time since 2011 and first time overall since 2014.
• Virginia is second in the ACC in steals (91) after the weekend series as the Hoos and Seminoles switched places. UVA is also 14th nationally in steals.
• Jade Hylton and Kelly Ayer are second and fourth in the ACC in steals this season. Hylton is second and has 21 steals on the year, while Ayer is fourth with 19 steals this season.
• Virginia’s 91 stolen bases is the tied for fifth most in a single season with the 1999 team and needs five more to tie the 2001 team for fourth all-time.
• As a staff, the Cavaliers are fourth in the ACC in earned run average (2.47) and are second in the ACC in shutouts (12) – which ranks 19th nationally.
• The Hoos also put one of the nation’s top defenses on the field for the second straight season. UVA is third in the ACC in fielding percentage (.976) and 23rd nationally.
• Virginia hit a pair of home runs last week to move the season total to 42 as a team and that number is seventh most in a season for a Cavalier squad.
• After the weekend series at FSU – including a game two win over the Noles, the Hoos moved up to 45 in the RPI as Virginia continues to make a push for an NCAA Tournament bid.
• Virginia hit the 28-win mark with the victory at FSU to match last year’s win total, the highest in program history since the 2010 team posted 34 wins.

THE SERIES WITH JMU

• Virginia and JMU have faced each other 50 times with the overall series split 25-25 between the teams.
• The Cavaliers won last year’s meeting 7-1 in Charlottesville to pull even in the overall series.
• The Dukes lead the series 14-11 in games played in Charlottesville, though the series is tied 7-7 in games played at JMU and UVA leads 4-0 in neutral-site meetings
• This is the only scheduled meeting between the two teams this season.

ON DECK FOR THE HOOS

• Virginia will conclude the week with a three-game series against Louisville at home this weekend.
• The Cavaliers and Cardinals kick off the three-game set at 6 p.m. on Friday night at Palmer Park.
• Saturday’s game will be the program’s annual Alumni Game as part of Alumni Weekend.
• Sunday’s game will be Senior Day as the Hoos honor the senior class for their contributions to the program after the series finale.