No. 14 Virginia Sweeps Doubleheader At SyracuseNo. 14 Virginia Sweeps Doubleheader At Syracuse
Jamie Holt/Virginia Athletics

No. 14 Virginia Sweeps Doubleheader At Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 14 Virginia softball team (27-3, 6-2 ACC) got a complete game from Eden Bigham in game one and used a big early inning in game two to sweep a doubleheader at Syracuse (11-12, 0-5 ACC) on Saturday (March 21) and lock up the weekend series.

Virgina won the first game of the day 7-1 before taking the second game 9-4.

No. 14 VIRGINIA 7, SYRACUSE 1 – GAME 1
The Cavaliers got off to a quick start in game one, loading the bases and bringing the first run home with a groundout to the left side from Kelsey Hackett. Virginia built on the lead in the second with a leadoff home run to left from Hannah Weismer and added another home run in the third from Bella Cabral.


Syracuse got on the board with a solo home run in the third inning from Erika Zamora.

Virginia added four more runs in the fourth, using five straight singles to push three runs home. The fourth came off a passed ball with the bases loaded. The 7-1 lead held down the stretch as the Hoos picked up the win.

Eden Bigham (9-0) picked up the victory with the complete-game performance, allowing the one run on one hit with three walks and six strikeouts.

Madison Knight (7-4) took the loss, allowing the seven runs – five of them earned – on 13 hits. She walked three and struck out five.

No. 14 VIRGINIA 9, SYRACUSE  4– GAME 2
Virginia again started hot in game two of the day, opening the game scoring three runs without a hit before the Cavaliers got the first hit of the frame with a grand slam from Reagan Hickey. The Hoos led 7-0 after the first.


Virginia added single runs in the second and third on an RBI single from Kelsey Hackett and a bases-loaded groundout from Macee Eaton. The Hoos led 9-0 after the top of the third.

Syracuse got a solo home run in the third to get on the board, the first hit of the game for the Orange. A three-run home run in the fourth cut the lead to 9-4, which was the final margin of victory for the Hoos.

Courtney Layne (9-2) picked up the win in relief, allowing three runs – two of them earned - on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts. She came in to relieve starter Taylor Smith after 3.0 innings of work.

Juliana Verni (1-5) took the loss, allowing three runs on one hit with three walks and five strikeouts through 3.2 innings of work. Verni started the game and then returned to the circle in the fourth inning.

NOTING THE HOOS

  • Reagan Hickey’s grand slam in game two of the doubleheader was the first of her career and the first grand slam hit by a Cavalier this season.
  • It marks the first series win for Virginia at Syracuse and the first two road wins in the series for the Hoos.
  • Hannah Weismer’s home run in game one was her seventh of the season.
  • Bella Cabral’s home run in game one was her 10th of the season to give her the team lead in the category.

    FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN
    “I saw a lot of grit and fight. It was a long day and really cold out there. There was a lot of toughness in the team. The pitching staff did an excellent job of attacking the zone and commanding it. Offensively, we took advantage of some mistakes on the Syracuse side and got the big fly from Reagan in the second game that was a key hit with runners in scoring position. Tomorrow we have to be patient with the weather, make sure we’re ready to go and hungry to take the series sweep if we’re able to get the game in.”

    UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS
    Virginia and Syracuse will conclude the series with a single game at noon on Sunday (March 22).