Virginia Hits Four Home Runs To Down Cornell, Seton Hall

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (12-5) hit four home runs and drove in 19 runs on the way to wins over Cornell and Seton Hall on Friday to open the Party At Palmer Invitational. The Cavaliers defeated Cornell (3-4) by a score of 8-0 in a run-rule victory before downing Seton Hall (3-7) in the day’s second game.

GAME 1
VIRGINIA 8, CORNELL 0 (6 Innings)
The Cavaliers got off to the quick start with a three-run first inning against the Big Red. A double from Kelly Ayer and a fielding error at short on a ground ball from Bella Cabral put two on for the Hoos with one out. Macee Eaton singled to left to drive in two runs, while a fielding error in left allowed her to get to second. MC Eaton then drove a single back up the middle to bring in Macee and the Cavaliers led 3-0.

Virginia extended the lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run off the scoreboard in left field to make it a 4-0 lead for the Hoos.

The Cavaliers plated two more runs in the fifth. Kelsey Hackett walked and then went to third on successive wild pitches to start the inning. Sarah Coon walked and stole third to put them both in scoring position before another wild pitch allowed Hackett to score and moved Coon to third. A ground ball into a double play from Reece Holbrook brought Coon home and the Hoos led 6-0.

Virginia closed things out in the sixth inning with two more runs. Jade Hylton drew a leadoff walk and stole second before Kelly Ayer traded places with her on a ball to right field. Ayer then scored the winning run on a single to left center from Cabral as the Cavaliers walked off with the win.

Ava Hodges (2-1) picked up the relief win, working 2.0 inning in relief of starter Courtney Layne. Hodges entered in the third and allowed one hit with two walks and two strikeouts in her outing.

Mila Fiordalisi (1-2) took the loss, allowing four runs – two of them earned – on seven hits and three walks. She turned in 4.0 innings of work.

GAME 2
VIRGINIA 11, SETON HALL 6
For the second time on the day, Virginia pushed three runs home in the opening frame. This time off the bat of Macee Eaton as the sophomore took a 1-2 offering to straightaway center and the 3-0 lead.

Seton Hall got a run back in the second with a single up the middle from Andrea Perez that scored Hannah Alexander from second. Alexander was hit by a pitch with one out before taking second on a groundout to third.

The Pirates got the run back in the third inning with a bases-loaded walk with two outs to cut it to 4-2 before the Hoos would get out of the inning.

Virginia pushed four runs home in the fifth. With two in scoring position, Bella Cabral delivered a sac fly to center that scored Jady Hylton and moved Kelly Ayer to third. Ayer came home on a single to right from Macee Eaton. Kelsey Hackett homered to straightaway center in the next at bat to take the lead out to 8-2.

Seton Hall responded with its own four-run inning in the top of the six to cut the lead back to two. The Pirates loaded the bases with one out and the Hoos turned to the bullpen for Savanah Henley. A single to right brought a two runs home before the Hoos would entice a pop out to short for two outs on the board. Another single loaded the bases before a walk brought the third run home. Another single slipped through the right side drove in the fourth run in the inning. A foul fly to right ended the inning.

Virginia responded in the home half with an RBI single up the middle from Kassidy Hudson that scored Kamyria Woody-Giggetts from second. Jade Hylton then homered to center with her two-run shot taking he lead out to the final 11-6 margin of victory.

Eden Bigham (3-3) picked up the win, entering the game to start the third inning in relief of Julia Cuozzo. Bigham worked 3.1 innings and allowed four runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Savanah Henley worked the final 1.2 innings to close out the game, allowing one run on three hits with one walk.

Kelsey Carr (3-2) took the loss as she allowed 11 runs on 10 hits with three walks and three strikeouts through 5.1 innings of work.

NOTING THE HOOS
• Virginia scored three runs in the first inning of both games Friday and have now scored at least three runs in the first inning of seven games this season.
• The Hoos have also scored in the first inning of 12-of-17 games played this season.
• The Cavaliers have scored at least three runs in an inning 20 times this season.
• Kelsey Hackett’s home run in the fifth inning against Seton Hall was her second career home run and second in the last three games.
• Kelly Ayer went 5-for-5 across the two games with three walks, five runs scored and an RBI on Friday.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“We definitely hit our marks for quality at bat percentage, over .500 in both games, and well over our .600 mark for plate appearances with runners in scoring position and that’s really key for us. We came through in some key moments. The offense has been really tough and gritty, especially in that second game. There was a momentum shift going into the fifth and we stayed the course. I’m really proud of the fight and effort, and we’re ready to come back tomorrow and do it again.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia continues to play at home on Saturday with two games in the Party At Palmer Invitational. The Hoos will face Seton Hall at 1:30 p.m. before taking on Hofstra at 4 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets at UVATix.com.