Virginia Shuts Out JMU In Run-Rule Victory

HARRISONBURG, Va. – Bella Cabral drove in five runs and Eden Bigham threw another complete-game shutout as No. 25 Virginia (34-14) posted an 11-0 run-rule victory at JMU (21-23) on Tuesday night (April 22).

HOW IT HAPPENED
Virginia scored in the first with a single up the middle from Macee Eaton that scored Jade Hylton from third. Hylton reached on an error before stealing second and taking third as the throw to second on the steal was deflected by the fielder into right field.

The Hoos extended the lead in the third inning with a three-run home from Bella Cabral. Hylton and Kelly Ayer scored on the Cabral long ball after reaching with a leadoff double and a walk, respectively.

Virginia added six more runs in the sixth inning. It started with a bases-loaded fielder’s choice to short from Kailyn Jones that put Virginia up 5-0 and left runners at the corners. Hylton walked to reload the bases before Ayer drove a two-RBI double to the wall in right center. Cabral drove in two more with a double to left to make it 9-0 for the Hoos. Virginia loaded the bases a third time before singles from Kassidy Hudson and Reece Holbrook made it an 11-0 lead.

Eden Bigham (15-7) picked up the win, allowing two hits in the complete-game shutout. She struck out four and walked one in the 6.0 innings of work.

Kirsten Fleet (9-6) took the loss, allowing four runs – three earned – on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 3.0 innings of work.

NOTING THE HOOS
• Bella Cabral’s home run was her ninth of the season and she has homered in back-to-back games.
• Cabral turned in a career-high five RBI with her three-run home run and a two-RBI double.
• Macee Eaton has 54 RBI this year, tying for second on the UVA single-season list with Sara Larquier (2005).
• Virginia tied the program’s single-season RBI record with the 11 RBI, matching the 2001 mark of 272 RBI.
• With the 34 wins, the Hoos matched last season’s win total with four games remaining in the regular season.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“We stuck with it really well. We scored in the first inning, capitalizing on a couple of mistakes before Macee got that first RBI. Then we got the home run in the third inning. The quality at bats back-to-back-to-back all night was great. It was nice to break it open in the sixth inning there. Our strike zone awareness was tremendous. Eden has been throwing it well and pounding the zone; really all of our pitchers have been throwing it well and combining well. Tonight was Eden’s night to go. A clean defensive night was the goal and that’s what it is going to take down to win late in the season. It was a good way to send us out to the west coast to take on a really good Stanford team.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia continues to play on the road, heading to the west coast for a three-game series at No. 15 Stanford as the Cavaliers close out ACC play. The series is set to begin on Friday (April 25) with a 9 p.m. EDT first pitch.