Virginia Set For Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational Presented By EvoShield

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (3-2) heads back out on the road this weekend for a weekend slate that features five games at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational presented by EvoShield in Clearwater, Fla.

The Cavaliers will play games against No. 23 Kentucky, Auburn, No. 5 Texas A&M, San Diego State and No. 4 UCLA in the weekend tournament.

VIRGINIA’S SCHEDULE AT SHRINERS CLEARWATER INVITATIONAL
Thursday, Feb. 13
vs. No. 23 Kentucky at 2 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 14
vs. Auburn at 10 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15
vs. No. 8 Texas A&M at 1 p.m.
vs. San Diego State at 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 16
vs. No. 4 UCLA at 10 a.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
All of the weekend’s games will be streamed through the ESPN app and at ESPN.com, while three games will be broadcast on linear television. The games against No. 23 Kentucky and No. 4 UCLA will air on ACC Network, while the game against Auburn will be broadcast on ESPN2. The games against No. 8 Texas A&M and San Diego State will be streamed on ESPN3.

Fans can also get updates by following the program’s official account on X (@UVASoftball) or following live stats linked at VirginiaSports.com.

NOTING THE HOOS
• The Cavaliers return to the road this weekend, playing five games at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational, facing No. 23 Kentucky, Auburn, No. 5 Texas A&M, San Diego State and No. 4 UCLA.
• Freshman right-hander Ava Hodges made two starts in the circle as four members of the freshman class saw action in the opening weekend of play last week.
• Sarah Coon enters the weekend with a four-game hit streak and having reached base safely in five straight games – she led the Hoos at the plate last weekend hitting .357 (5-for-14).
• Macee Eaton and Kelly Ayer were key offensive producers in the opening weekend with each player scoring five runs and driving in five runs for the Cavaliers.
• Jade Hylton also scored five runs on the weekend as the top half of the lineup delivered.
• Virginia scored first in all five games last weekend and put together at least one three-run inning in each game played last weekend.
• In four of the games last weekend, the Cavaliers scored in the first inning and that includes three-run first innings in both games against South Carolina and against Saint Francis
• The run-rule win over Saint Francis was the first since a 16-1 (5) win at Georgia Tech (4/27) in the second game of the Hoos’ final weekend series last year.

THE SERIES WITH KENTUCKY
• Virginia and Kentucky have only faced each other once prior to this weekend’s meeting in Florida
• The Wildcats took a 10-7 victory over the Cavaliers in the 2005 season at the Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn.

THE SERIES WITH AUBURN
• Virginia and Auburn have faced each other once before with that meeting coming in the 1998 season
• The Cavaliers claimed a 2-1 victory over the Tigers in the Sports Club Classic in Richmond that season

THE SERIES WITH TEXAS A&M
• Virginia and Texas A&M meet for the fifth time when the teams face off in a series the Aggies lead 3-1
• The teams played four times in the 1990s with the last meeting coming with a pair of games in the 1999 season
• The squads split those meetings at the UCSB/Easton Invitational with UVA taking a 1-0 victory in the last meeting between the teams
• Texas A&M  won the first three meetings in the series

THE SERIES WITH SAN DIEGO STATE
• Virginia and San Diego State have faced off six times with the Hoos leading 5-1 in the series
• The teams last met in 2013 with Virginia taking a 5-2 win over the Aztecs at the Mary Nutter Classic
• San Diego State won the first meeting in 1992, but the Cavaliers have won five straight since that initial game
• Each meeting in the series has come at a neutral site

THE SERIES WITH UCLA
• Virginia and UCLA have faced off twice with the games coming as part of a doubleheader in the 2002 season
• The games came at the National Invitational Softball Tournament in Pleasanton, California
• UCLA won those games 2-0 and 3-0