Hoos Fall In Series Finale At Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Cavaliers hit a pair of home runs in a high-scoring battle but the series finale went to the home team as Virginia (29-20, 8-16 ACC) fell at Syracuse (23-22-1, 7-12-1 ACC) by a score of 12-6 at Skytop Softball Stadium on Saturday (April 29).

HOW IT HAPPENED
Syracuse started hot out of the gates for the third straight game with a two-out grand slam in the first inning. A trio of walks helped load the bases for the home team to set up the at bat for Laila Alves that went 15 pitches before the long ball.

Virginia answered in the top of the second when Reece Holbrook belted a three-run shot to right field to score Katie Goldberg and Gabby Baylog. Goldberg reached on a walk before a double down the third base line from Baylog put two in scoring position.

Syracuse got the runs back in the third with a three-RBI double from Kelly Breen before adding two more runs in the fourth as the Orange took advantage of a throwing error to score the first run and set up a sac fly to take the lead out to 9-3.

The Cavaliers got a run in the fourth on a fielding error at short with the bases loaded that allowed Goldberg to score after reaching on a leadoff walk, but Syracuse responded with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning.

Virginia got its second home run of the day in the fifth inning when Gabby Baylog cent one over the wall in left center. Shelby Barbee scored on the play after reaching when she was hit by a pitch to open the inning. The solo shot cut the lead to 10-6.

Breen hit her second home run of the day to open the sixth inning before a sac fly would bring a second run home four batters later and put Syracuse on top 12-6 for the final margin of victory.

Eden Bigham (13-6) took the loss as she allowed the four runs on the one hit with three walks in a strikeout in an inning of work.

Madison Knight (13-7) picked up the relief win as she entered the game in the second with her team up one after the Holbrook home run and one out on the board. She allowed three runs – two of them earned – on three hits with five walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.

NOTES ON THE GAME

• Leah Boggs’ steal in the first inning was the 96th of the season for UVA which is tied for fourth most in a season with the 2001 team.
• Virginia’s two home runs marks the 14th multiple-home run game of the season for the Hoos.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“I thought our offense fought really hard. We challenged our team today to be really competitive and gritty on all sides of the ball. We had 64 percent quality at bats on the day, we took our walks and really fought off pitches. You could tell offensively that we were coming to compete and grind. I was proud of that and the way they accepted that challenge. We have a long ride home to evaluate and think, get some rest on Sunday and then make adjustments on Monday and practice before finishing out the regular season at Longwood.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia closes the regular season on Tuesday with a single game at Longwood. First pitch in that contest is set for 5 p.m.