Hoos Homer Four Times In 6-5 Loss At Georgia Tech

ATLANTA – The Cavaliers hit four home runs on Friday (April 26), including a two-home run game from Shelby Barbee, but couldn’t get over the hump as Virginia (30-17, 13-9 ACC) fell at Georgia Tech (31-20, 12-10 ACC) by a score of 6-5 as the Yellow Jackets took the walk-off win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Georgia Tech got on the board in the first as a leadoff walk putting a runner on before a single to right with an error on the field put runners at the corners. A fielder’ choice to short pushed the first run home before Bigham would get a strikeout for the second out. A Madison Dobbins double drove home the second run before the Hoos would get out of the inning down 2-0.

Macee Eaton homered to right to open the second for the Hoos and cut the lead in half before Shelby Barbee would homer to left in the fifth to tie things up at 2-2.

The Yellow Jackets moved back in front in the bottom of the fifth after the first three batters reached on a bunt single and back-to-back walks. A hit batter with one out that was challenged resulted in the first run coming home and kept the bases loaded as Virginia changed pitchers. A walk pushed a second run home and took the lead out to 4-2 for the home team. A sac fly on a foul ball to left capped the scoring as Georgia Tech took the 5-2 lead after the fifth.

Jade Hylton and Shelby Barbee both homered in the sixth inning to tie things up. Hylton it a solo shot to right before Barbee hit a two-run shot to center.

Georgia Tech claimed the win in the seventh, getting a one-out single from Dobbins before a double from Jayden Gailey gave the home team the walk-off win.

Madi Harris (7-5) took the loss in relief, allowing the one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. She entered the game in the fifth inning.

Kinsey Norton (9-5) picked up the relief win as she worked the final 1.1 innings with no hits, no walks and no strikeouts.

NOTES ON THE GAME

• Macee Eaton’s home run in the second inning was the freshman’s first home run of the season.
• Shelby Barbee’s home runs were her first in ACC play and she now has four home runs on the season.
• Jade Hylton’s home run in the sixth inning was her team-leading 12th of the year and she has now homered in three straight ACC contests.
• It is only the third time this season UVA has lost when scoring at least three runs.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“It was a tough one tonight. I’m proud of the way the team responded each time Georgia Tech scored. The problem is we were just never able to get the lead and there isn’t another chance to respond in the seventh. We have to regroup tonight, get some rest and be ready to go tomorrow with our chance to respond on Saturday.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia and Georgia Tech play game two of the series at 3 p.m. on Saturday (April 27).