The teams will play the rubber match at noon on Saturday (April 19). The start time was moved up an hour to help the teams avoid any potential travel curfews.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia pushed two home in the first after back-to-back hits from Jade Hylton and Kelly Ayer put two Hoos on. A groundout back to the pitcher from Bella Cabral brought Hylton home and moved Ayer to third before a sac fly from Macee Eaton pushed the Hoos to a 2-0 lead.
Louisville answered in the third. A two-out single through the right side cut the lead in half. With runners on first and second, a ball to short looked like a routine end to the inning, but a fielding error on the throw to second allowed the lead runner to score before Virginia would make the out on the trail runner at third and Louisville tied the game.
Virginia answered in a big way in the fourth, pushing five runs home to reclaim the lead. It started with a fielding error on a sac bunt that allowed Macee Eaton to score from second after a leadoff double. MC Eaton then hit a two-run home run to left center to make it 5-2. With two outs and two on, Kelly Ayer ripped a single to left center, bringing Kailyn Jones home from second. A fielding effort on the play allowed Hylton to come home all the way from first and the Hoos led 7-2.
Get MC the hobby horse! That one is outta here!
Hoos up 5-2 on Louisville in the fourth.
📊 Stats: https://t.co/oH9UWQRDrb
📺 ACCNX: https://t.co/X4RGgtDM7P#GoHoos | #HoosNext pic.twitter.com/ig1vmmN8gy— Virginia Softball (@UVASoftball) April 18, 2025
Hylton added an RBI single up the middle in the sixth to make it an 8-2 lead for the Cavaliers.
Eden Bigham (13-7) picked up the win, giving up only one hit with four walks and five strikeouts through 4.0 inning of relief work. She came in to relieve starter Courtney Layne in the fourth with the score tied 2-2.
Brooke Gray (8-7) took the loss for Louisville, allowing seven runs – four of them earned – on six hits with a walk and a strikeout through 3.2 innings of work.
NOTING THE HOOS
• With the home run from MC Eaton, the Hoos are now tied with the 2015 team for most home runs in a season (55) by a Virginia squad.
• With the six RBI, the Hoos are now second all-time in RBI in a season by a Virginia squad (255) and passed the 2004 team for the number two spot.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“Execution was at a much higher clip today on the offensive side. When we got pitches, we got quality swings and short, aggressive swings. We hit the ball hard and got loud, aggressive outs as well. MC Eaton came up with the big fly. I was proud of her for sticking with it and make adjustments in her at bats was big. She’s really tough mentally and belief has carried her through the last few at bats. That was important for her. Courtney and Eden tag teamed things well in the circle. We weren’t totally clean on defense, but we recovered well. There was a lot of good execution. Senior weekend is always a really emotional one, so it will be important for us to just enjoy these moments. Our fans have been great and we thank you guys and please come back Saturday and love on our seniors.”
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia and Louisville will close the weekend series at noon on Saturday (April 19). It will be Senior Day for the Cavaliers who will recognize a group of six players following the afternoon’s game.
