Virginia Closes ACC Play With Weekend Series At Syracuse

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (29-18, 8-13 ACC) hits the road for a three-game series at Syracuse (20-22-1, 4-12-1 ACC) to close conference play.

Due to expected inclement weather in the area on Sunday, the teams will play a doubleheader on Friday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The series is now slated to conclude on Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
All three games of the series are set to be streamed on ACCNX which is available through the ESPN app and at ESPN.com. Live stats are also available for all three games. Links to the stream and live stats are at VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official Twitter account (@UVASoftball).

LEADING OFF

• The series at Syracuse closes ACC play for UVA as next weekend is a bye weekend for the Hoos.
• The Hoos are looking to hit the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2010 season – the last time the program advanced to the NCAA Tournament as the Hoos posted 34 wins.
• Virginia is third in the ACC in steals (94) and ranks 21st nationally in the category.
• Jade Hylton and Kelly Ayer are second and third in the ACC in steals this season. Hylton is second and has 21 steals on the year, while Ayer is fourth with 20 steals this season.
• Virginia’s 94 stolen bases is the tied fifth most in a single season and is two shy of tying the 2001 team for fourth most in a season (96).
• As a staff, the Cavaliers are fourth in the ACC in earned run average (2.68) and are second in the ACC in shutouts (12) – which ranks 22nd nationally.
• Eden Bigham entered the week ranked third among power 5 freshmen in total strikeouts and eight in ERA as part of a freshman dynamic duo for the Cavaliers.
• Jade Hylton is tied for eighth nationally among steals and second among power 5 freshmen. She also is tied for fourth among power 5 freshmen in home runs entering the week.
• 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 (.975) and 25th nationally.
• Virginia hit a trio of home runs in the Louisville series to move the season total to 47 as a team which is sixth most in a season for a Cavalier squad and one shy of fifth all-time.
• Tori Gilbert hit her 10th of the year and has 34 for her career tied for second all-time at UVA.

THE SERIES WITH SYRACUSE

• Virginia and Syracuse have faced each other 19 times with the Orange leading the series 15-4.
• This weekend marks the first trip to Syracuse for the Hoos since the 2015 season and only the second trip ever to face the Orange.
• The two teams did not face each other last season.
• Syracuse won the last series between the teams, taking a 3-1 series victory in Charlottesville in the 2021 season that featured four-game series due to COVID-19.

ON DECK FOR THE HOOS
Virginia is slated to close its regular-season schedule on Tuesday night (May 2) with a single game at Longwood. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. against the Lancers.