Virginia Falls 7-6 In Extra-Inning Battle With Auburn

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Virginia (4-3) got a pair of home runs as part of a back-and-forth battle that went into extra innings, but came up short on Friday (Feb. 14) in a 7-6 loss to Auburn (7-0) in eight innings at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia got started with a solo home run in the first from Bella Cabral. With two outs on the board, the third baseman pulled a 2-2 offering down the left field line to get the Cavaliers on the board.

Auburn responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. A walk put Anna Wohlers on before KK McCrary doubled to the gap in right center for the score.

The Cavaliers moved back in front in the second when Kailyn Jones singled to left to score M.C. Eaton from second. Eaton reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on another fielder’s choice as she slid in ahead of the throw off a chopper to third, putting her in scoring position for the Jones hit.

Again the Tigers answered, pushing two home with a two-out rally in the second. A single and a walk put two runners on with one out. Kelly Ayer tracked down a ball to the wall in left center for the second out and runners at the corners. Icess Tresvik then singled to center to bring both runs home before Virginia would get out of the inning down 3-2.

The back-and-forth battle continued in the third as Virginia moved back in front on a two-RBI double to center from Macee Eaton. Kelly Ayer and Bella Cabral scored on the play after reaching with a leadoff double and a walk, respectively.

Virginia extended the lead in the sixth inning with a solo shot to left field from Sydney Hartgrove to open the frame. It put the Cavaliers on top 5-3. The Tigers got the run back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to right center from Skyler Elkins.

Auburn tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff home run from Tresvik to left center. A pair of walks around a strikeout put two on before a passed ball moved both Tigers into scoring position. The Cavaliers intentionally walked the bases loaded to set up the double play and turned it successfully on a ball to short.

In extra innings with the international tiebreak rule in effect, Virginia retook the lead on a groundout to short from Jade Hylton that scored Kamyria Woody-Giggetts. Woody-Giggetts stole third before the Hylton groundout.

Auburn answered in the bottom of the eighth with a throwing error on a sac bunt attempt that allowed the lead runner to score from second. The Tigers then executed two more bunts to load the bases before a walk pushed home the winning run.

Eden Bigham (0-3) took the loss in relief as she allowed five runs – four of them earned – on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Bigham worked 2.0 innings in the start and was called back to the circle in the eighth inning to try to get the Hoos out of the game. She was one of three Cavaliers in the circle on the day.

SJ Geurin (3-0) picked up the win in relief, working the final 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, only one of them earned, with two walks and three strikeouts.

NOTES ON THE HOOS
• Bella Cabral’s home run in the first inning was her first of the season and the seventh of her career.
• Kailyn Jones’ RBI in the second inning was her first of the season
• Sydney Hartgrove’s home run in the sixth inning was the first of her career.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“I saw a ton of fight. It was really competitive on both sides, but I thought we really came out and matched that. We had a couple of big moments and rose to the challenge. It was positive to see. Courtney Layne came out and earned that seventh inning. Jade Hylton made the big play. We are learning a lot. There are things we have to clean up and do better, but overall I was proud of the effort. If we continue to play at that caliber and with that intensity I’m looking forward to these next three games and the rest of our season.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia will play two games at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 15). The Hoos face No. 5 Texas A&M at 1 p.m. and follow it with San Diego State at 4:30 p.m. Both games are streamed on ESPN+.