CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 21 Virginia softball team (10-1) defeated Maryland and Ohio State on Friday (Feb. 20) in the Mizuno Classic at Palmer Park, giving Joanna Hardin her 300th career victory as a head coach.
The Cavaliers defeated Maryland (5-7) in the first game of the day by a score of 5-4 before defeating Ohio State (5-6) in the nightcap, 8-4.
Congrats on 3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ Coach Hardin!
— Virginia Softball (@UVASoftball) February 21, 2026
Keep 'em coming!#GoHoos | #4for40 | #PeopleMakeThePlace pic.twitter.com/RaWB02OhQA
No. 21 VIRGINIA 5, MARYLAND 4
Virginia struck first with a single run in the first inning, getting an RBI double off the wall in left field to score Jade Hylton from first. Hylton reached on a leadoff single.
The Terrapins rallied in the third, tying things up on a ground ball to third with runners at the corners. Virginia went home on the play, but Bailey Murphy slid under the tag to even the game at 1-1.
Maryland took the lead with three runs in the fourth inning. After loading the bases with a walk, an error and a bunt single, the Terrapins used a hit batter and back-to-back walks to take the 4-1 lead before Virginia got out of the inning.
Virginia mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth, pushing four runs home to reclaim the lead. With the bases loaded, Kassidy Hudson drove a ball to left field, scoring Hannah Weismer and keeping the bases loaded. Eaton then laced a two-RBI single down the first base line that tied the game and left runners at the corners. Bella Cabral put the Cavaliers on top with a single through the right side before Maryland ended the rally.
Eden Bigham (4-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs on four hits with four walks and a strikeout. Ony two of the three runs were earned in her 4.0 innings of work.
Keira Bucher (2-1) took the loss for Maryland, allowing one run on one hit with 1.1 innings of relief work. She entered with
No. 21 VIRGINIA 8, OHIO STATE 4
Maryland opened the scoring with a single run in the first inning. Taylor Cruse reached with a leadoff single before coming home two batters later on a double to right center from Sami Bewick.
The Cavaliers answered in the second, reclaiming the lead with a two-run inning. Kelsey Hackett doubled to start the frame and moved to third on a fielding error on a throw to first after a dropped third strike allowed Alex Call to reach. A sac fly from Hannah Weismer brought Hackett home to cut the lead in half. Three batters later, with Call at third and Jaiden Griffith at first, the Hoos executed a double steal with Call crossing the plate to put Virginia on top 2-1.
A four-run fifth inning started with an RBI double from Jade Hylton that scored Griffith. Hylton came home in the next at bat on a single to left from Kassidy Hudson. Macee Eaton followed it with a two-run home run and the Hoos led 6-1.
Ohio State cut the lead to two with a pair of home runs in the sixth, using a solo shot and a two-run home run to close the score to 6-4.
Virginia again answered in the bottom half with a two-run home run from Hylton for the final 8-4 margin.
Courtney Layne (5-0) picked up the victory, working 5.1 innings in the start. She allowed four runs – three of them earned – on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Eden Bigham picked up her first save of the season, closing out the final 1.2 innings with four strikeouts and one hit.
Jenna Molk (2-3) took the loss, allowing six runs – five of them earned – on seven hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work.
NOTING THE HOOS
• Macee Eaton ran her season total to 18 RBI with five RBI across the two games on Friday.
• Jade Hylton has scored a team-leading 12 runs this season after scoring three runs on Friday.
• Virginia has won 10 straight games since dropping the season opener on February 6.
• Head Coach Joanna Hardin picked up her 300th career victory with the win over Ohio State between stints as head coach at McNeese State and Virginia.
FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
“We talked about adjusting from the beginning of the day. We expected to play at 10 a.m., but had to push the games back to 11:30 a.m. So they were here hanging out. We challenged them to approach the day like championship softball when you have rain delays or a game runs long. Great teams know how to get themselves prepared to play at the beginning of the day, to wait around and then bring the energy again at the end of the day. I was proud of how they responded and reset for game two.”
UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
Virginia continues play at home on Saturday (Feb. 21) as part of the Mizuno Classic. The Cavaliers will face Ohio State at 2:30 p.m. and close the day against Delaware at 5 p.m. Admission to all regular-season home games is free to the public.
Due to a basketball game at JPJ on Saturday, fans arriving for the game against Ohio State should park at the Emmett-Ivy Garage and a shuttle will be provided beginning at 1:30 p.m.