Virginia Clinches Series With 6-3 Win At Notre Dame

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Kelly Ayer’s two-out, three-RBI triple in the fourth inning broke things open for the Hoos as Virginia (26-11, 9-6 ACC) clinched the series win at Notre Dame (22-14, 7-8 ACC) with a 6-3 victory on Sunday (April 7).

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the third time on the weekend, the Cavaliers got on the board first with an RBI double to the gap in left center from Jade Hylton in the third inning. Lauren VanAssche scored on the play after reaching on an error by the third baseman charging on a dribbler between third and short.

Notre Dame answered in the bottom of the third, pushing the first run of the frame across with a single to right from Carlli Kloss that capped a sequence of three singles and a fielder’s choice groundout to manufacture the run. Virginia turned to its bullpen for Eden Bigham who kept the game tied and got the Hoos out of the inning with a fly out and a strikeout around a walk of Karina Gaskins.

The Cavaliers put together a big fourth inning, bringing four runs home to take a 5-1 lead. A pair of singles around an error loaded the bases before Abby Weaver drew a walk to push the first run home. Notre Dame got a strikeout and a force out at the plate, but Kelly Ayer put the exclamation point on the inning with a three-RBI triple to the right center gap before the Irish could get out of the inning.

Bella Cabral hit her second home run of the weekend with a shot to left field in the fifth that took the lead to five runs for the Cavaliers.

Rachel Allen laced a two-RBI double down the third base line in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead in half as Notre Dame closed the gap to 6-3.

The Irish would get no closer as Bigham and the Hoos locked things down in the sixth and seventh.

Bigham (11-6) secured the win in relief, allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts through 4.2 innings of work.

Micaela Kastor (7-6) took the loss as she allowed three runs on two hits with two strikeouts in 3.0 innings of work. 

NOTES ON THE GAME

• Virginia won its second straight series against Notre Dame and it was the third-ever series win over the Irish.
• The teams last met in the 2022 season with UVA taking the first two games of the series in Charlottesville.
• It’s the second series win over Notre Dame on the road as UVA swept the 2017 series for the Hoos’ first series win over the Irish.
• The three RBI from Kelly Ayer was a season high and tied a career high set vs. Towson (2/25/22).
• Bella Cabral’s home run in the fifth was her second of the weekend and fifth of the season.
• Cabral was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Jade Hylton ran her hit streak to six games.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“I love how we came out and responded from Saturday’s game. We were sharp, we were intent and focused. The response today was a complete 180 from everyone. Kelly Ayer’s hit was big and she’s been waiting for her chance. Mikayla Houge and Eden Bigham tagged team it in the circle for the win again. I’m proud of the team for grinding it out to find a way to win. This is a tough league and a tough place to play. We have to get home and turn it around quick for Liberty on Tuesday night.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia returns home to kick off  a five-game homestand on Tuesday (April 9) when the Cavaliers host Liberty in a 7 p.m. contest at Palmer Park. The Cavaliers will then continue the homestand with a three-game set against NC State over the weekend.