HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first time in the series, Florida State struck first as the Seminoles got two runs on a steal of home and a bases-loaded walk to start things off. An error earlier in the frame extended the inning and FSU capitalized with the bases loaded for a second time, getting a grand slam to take the lead to 7-0 after the first.
The Seminoles brought two more runs home in the second as three straight hits to open the frame took the lead to 9-0. Four more runs in the third inning extended the lead to 13-0 for the home team.
Back-to-back home runs from the Cavaliers opened the fourth inning as Macee Eaton hit a solo shot to center and Sarah Coon followed it with a solo shot to left. It cut the lead to 13-2 – the final margin for the game.
Macee Eaton with her 10th of the season!
The Hoos are on the board!
📊 Stats: https://t.co/Sc8iaT77qm
📺 ACCNX: https://t.co/fWgLl3PVRf#GoHoos | #HoosNext pic.twitter.com/AIiz900pqr— Virginia Softball (@UVASoftball) April 6, 2025
Freshman Ava Hodges (3-3) took the loss, allowing seven runs – only one of them earned – on two hits with four walks and a strikeout in 0.2 innings of work.
Ashtyn Danley (8-1) picked up the win as she worked 3.0 scoreless innings in the start, allowing three hits with two strikeouts.
NOTING THE HOOS
• Macee Eaton’s home run in the fourth inning was her 10th of the season and pulled her back into a tie for the team lead with Jade Hylton.
• Eaton’s RBI was her 48th of the season which is the sixth most in a single season at Virginia.
• Sarah Coon’s home run in the fourth was her fourth home run of the season and 23rd of her career which is one shy of breaking into the top 10 in program history.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“No secret that it was a tough game and a tough day. The margins (for error) are really small and we gave up six unearned runs on the day. It’s tough to give that up to a great team like Florida State. The question for us is how do we want to use that and learn from that to respond? There are a lot of good things to take from the weekend to be in it at the end; it was like a championship Sunday. It takes competitive greatness from every member of your team. Today doesn’t take away from a lot of great things this weekend and where we’re at overall, but we have to continue to pursue playing clean softball. It’s a quick turnaround and we’ll travel home, go back to work tomorrow and get ready for a tough Liberty team in Lynchburg.”
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia continues to play on the road with a midweek contest at Liberty on Tuesday (April 8) at 6 p.m. before hosting Syracuse in a three-game series at Palmer Park next weekend with the series beginning on at 5 p.m.
