Virginia Hosts Syracuse For Three-Game Set

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (15-8, 3-3 ACC) returns home for a three-game series with Syracuse (12-9, 0-0 ACC) this weekend, kicking off with a 3 p.m. contest on Friday (March 15) at Palmer Park.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
All three games of the weekend series will be streamed on ACCNX which is available through the ESPN app and at WatchESPN.com. Live stats will also be provided for all three games. Fans can get updates by following the program’s official account (@UVASoftball) on X.

FRIDAY PARKING INFORMATION
Due to parking and traffic for a Friday evening concert at John Paul Jones Arena, fans are encouraged to park at the Emmett-Ivy Garage and utilize shuttles to the Klöckner ticket windows.

QUICK HITS

• The Hoos return home after a five-game road trip and the series against Syracuse kicks off a stretch of seven-game homestand for Virginia.
• The Cavaliers will host a pair of ACC series in that stretch, including a series against No. 12 Clemson and a midweek contest against Rutgers before another seven-game road swing.
• Virginia’s pitching has been a force this season with the Hoos’ staff ranking fifth in the ACC in ERA (2.16) and sixth in the ACC in shutouts (5) this season.
• Madison Harris and Eden Bigham ranking second and third in the ACC in strikeouts per 7.0 innings of work and both are in the top six in fewest hits allowed per 7.0 innings pitched.
• Bigham is fifth nationally as she allows 2.93 hits per 7.0 IP and she is eighth nationally in with 10.3 strikeouts per 7.0 IP. She is second in the ACC in total strikeouts (81).
• The Hoos have also been aggressive on the basepath, ranking third in the ACC in total stolen bases (40) and stolen bases per game (1.74).
• Jade Hylton leads the way with nine steals this season, while Kelly Ayer is 8-for-8 in steal attempts and Kamyria Woody-Giggetts is 7-for-7 on the year.
• Hylton paces the offense at the top of the order, hitting at a .342 clip with a team-leading 17 RBI and is tied with Sarah Coon for the team lead in home runs with five.
• Leah Boggs has been hot in ACC play, hitting at a .467 clip and has gone 3-for-3 in steal attempts through the first two series of the season.

THE SERIES WITH SYRACUSE

• Virginia and Syracuse is a relatively young series with only 23 meetings between the teams starting in 2011.
• Syracuse leads the all-time series with the Hoos 19-4.
• The Orange swept the series last season at home to close ACC play for the Cavaliers and the teams also met in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
• It’s the first meeting in Charlottesville since the 2021 season when the squads played a four-game series during the COVID altered season.
• All four wins by the Cavaliers have come in games played in Charlottesville.

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS

• Friday is Fry-Days at Palmer Park with discounted chicken tender combos for fans.
• Saturday is Youth Day at Palmer Park with youth under 18 getting free admission with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket. Inflatables will be on site and kids run the bases following the game.
• Sunday the first 200 fans in attendance wearing green will receive a voucher for a hot dog combo.