Virginia Downs Penn, Delaware To Open Mizuno Classic

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (7-5) opened the weekend with a pair of wins as the Cavaliers defeated Penn (1-2) and Delaware (2-4) to open play at the Mizuno Classic at Palmer Park on Saturday (Feb. 22). The Hoos rallied in both games, taking a 5-1 win over Penn and a 5-2 win over Delaware.

GAME 1
VIRGINIA 5, PENN 1
Penn scored first, plating a run in the third inning on a sac fly to center from Dani Freer. A leadoff walk put Abbie Stellrecht on before a sac bunt moved her to second. She advanced to third on a single through the left side to set up the score on the Freer fly ball.

Virginia took the lead in the fifth with a two-out rally. Reece Holbrook reached on a fielding error on a dropped pop up on the infield and took second on the play. Back-to-back triples from Kailyn Jones and Jade Hylton pushed two runs home and put the Hoos on top 2-1.

Bella Cabral extended the lead in the sixth with a solo home run to center field to make it 3-1 in favor of the Cavaliers. Virginia added two more runs from there with an RBI single from Sydney Hartgrove three batters that scored Kamyria Woody-Giggetts from second. Woody-Giggetts entered to run for MC Eaton who walked. Hartgrove was replaced on the basepath by Kelsey Hackett who came home on a double from Reece Holbrook for the 5-1 lead.

Eden Bigham (1-3) picked up the relief win, working the final 4.0 innings as she scattered three hits and struck out five batters. She entered in relief of Julia Cuozzo to start the fourth inning.

Kelly Zybura (0-2) took the loss for Penn in a complete-game effort. She allowed the five runs – three of them earned – on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

GAME 2
VIRGINIA 5, DELAWARE 2
The Blue Hens got on the board in the first inning with a solo home run to left center from Sydney Shaffer.

A single and a walk to start the third put a pair of Blue Hens on the bases before Shaffer again came to the plate. This time, the catcher singled deep to center to drive in Katie Scheivert from second.

Virginia tied it up in the fifth with a two-out double to the gap in left center from Macee Eaton. Kailyn Jones and Kelly Ayer scored on the play. Both players reached on singles around a lineout from Jade Hylton. A wild pitch moved them both into scoring position for the Eaton hit.

The Cavaliers took the lead in the sixth with an infield single from Kailyn Jones. With runners at the corners, Jones singled on the infield with a ball chopped in front of the plate and beat the throw while Kamyria Woody-Giggetts came home from third to score for the 3-2 lead. Coon opened the inning with a double before being replaced on the basepath by Woody-Giggetts. Woody-Giggetts took third on a ground ball back to the circle from Reece Holbrook, sliding in under the tag on the fielder’s choice that put runners at the corners.

Holbrook went first to third on the infield single from Jones before Jones stole second. With two outs on the board, Kelly Ayer drove a single back up the middle to bring both runners home and give Virginia the 5-2 lead that would hold for the win.

Savanah Henley (4-1) picked up the win in relief, allowing one run while scattering five hits through her 4.0 innings of work. Henley walked two and struck out three. Eden Bigham picked up her fourth save of the season as she worked the final frame with two walks and a strikeout.

Morgan Hess (0-1) took the loss in relief for the Blue Hens. She entered the game in the fifth inning with the game tied at 2-2. Hess allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.

NOTING THE HOOS
• Julia Cuozzo’s start was the first of the season and her first appearance since a start against Clemson last season (3/22/24).
• Bella Cabral’s home run in the sixth inning vs. Penn was her second of the season.
• Eden Bigham’s fourth save of the season is tied for third most in a season at UVA and it was her eighth career save which is third most in program history. She is one shy of second all-time at Virginia.
• Savanah Henley’s victory in game two was her third win in relief this season.
•  Virginia has now scored at least four runs in 10-of-12 games played this season.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“I liked that we put up runs late and were able to come back. One thing we talked about was quality at bats with runners in scoring positions. We did enough to come back today. I’d like to say that a little earlier in games. Our pitching staff has been doing a great job of keeping us in games. You have to find a way to score and you have to find a way to score late. Really proud of Macee for coming in and getting that double in the fifth inning. This game is funny and it’s tough to do that. I’m proud of the effort and we’re going to need all of that again tomorrow.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 23) with two games against Penn and Delaware. The Hoos face Penn at 1:30 p.m. and then take on Delaware at 4 p.m. to close the day.