Fast Start Powers UVA Softball to 6-2 Win at UNC-Greensboro

With a big weekend ahead of them at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill, the Cavaliers wanted to get off to a good start on Thursday. They did just that.

UVA scored four runs in the top of the first inning to set the tone and the Virginia softball team earned a 6-2 victory at UNC-Greensboro on Thursday night in Greensboro.

The Cavaliers wasted little time in the top of the first as Jade Hylton singled to right field on the second pitch of the game and then stole second. Katie Goldberg drew a walk and then M.C. Eaton brought them both in with a three-run home run, the fourth homer the freshman has hit in the first six games of her collegiate career.

Tori Gilbert then reached base on an error, stole second, and advanced to third on a single from Gabby Baylog. Kailyn Jones scored Gilbert from third on a sacrifice fly to give Virginia a 4-0 lead after one inning.

That was plenty of run support for Molly Grube, who yielded just two base runners in the first four frames and had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning. Grube's no-hitter came to a swift end in the fifth, though, as UNCG's Salem Ward hit a lead-off solo home run to left field to get the Spartans on the board. Grube got the first two outs of the inning, but also walked a batter and surrendered a single to put two runners on. Jenny Bressler entered the game and got out of the jam with a groundout.

It was still a fantastic outing for Grube, who earned her second victory of the season, giving up just one earned run on two hits and striking out two batters in 4.2 innings of work. Bressler earned her first save of the season, pitching 2.1 innings and giving up one run on one hit with five strikeouts.

Virginia's offense was held scoreless from the second through the sixth inning, but the Cavaliers managed to score some crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Lauren VanAssche hit a leadoff single and Jade Hylton drew a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Katie Goldberg flew out to center field, but it was deep enough to move the runners up to second and third. Sarah Coon then delivered a single up the middle, scoring both VanAssche and Hylton to make it 6-1 in favor of the Cavaliers.

UNCG's Maycin Brown hit a solo homer to left center and Bressler walked a pair of batters with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but she then struck out the next batter to secure the 6-2 victory for Virginia.

Now 5-1 on the season, UVA will play four games this weekend as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill. Virginia is scheduled to face No. 23 Maryland on Friday at 3pm, Minnesota on Saturday at 10am, Maryland on Saturday at 12:30pm, and Minnesota again on Sunday at 10am.

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