Virginia Softball Extends Winning Streak to Eight With Two Wins at Villanova

Things are heating up again for the UVA softball team. The Cavaliers extended their winning streak to five games and have now won nine of their last 10 games thanks to a couple of road victories, as Virginia (24-10) posted a pair of non-conference wins at Villanova (18-14) this weekend in Pennsylvania.

Game 1 (Friday, March 29): Virginia 5, Villanova 2

The early stages of game 1 was a pitcher's duel, with UVA's Eden Bigham and Villanova's Alyssa Seidler both opening the game with three-straight scoreless frames. Virginia was the first to break through in the top of the fourth as Macee Eaton hit a leadoff double, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Sarah Coon groundout. Kelsey Hackett reached on an error and came around to score on a double into the left-center gap by Lauren VanAssche. UVA tacked on another run in the top of the fifth as Eaton drove in Kailyn Jones with a single back up the middle.

Eden Bigham, meanwhile, stayed a step ahead of the Villanova batters, giving up just four hits in the first five innings of the game. The Wildcats made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth, as Ava Franz took Bigham deep to right center for a two-run home run, narrowing the margin to one. Courtney Lane finished the sixth and stranded runners on first and second to keep the UVA lead at 3-2.

Virginia scored some crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Leah Boggs hit an infield single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a bunt single by Bella Cabral, who eventually came around to score on another RBI from Eaton, this time on a sacrifice fly. Layne worked around an error in the bottom of the seventh and otherwise retired the Wildcats without problem to seal UVA's 5-2 victory.

Game 2 (Saturday, March 30): Virginia 5, Villanova 1

Another pitcher's duel ensued in game 2 on Saturday and this time it lasted for nearly the duration of the game. Mikayla Houge started in the circle for the Cavaliers and gave up a leadoff home run to Tess Cites to give the Wildcats a very early 1-0 lead. Houge stranded a runner on third to get out of the first without further damage, but then exited the game in the second when more trouble came. Madi Harris entered the game and proceeded to hold the Wildcats completely off the board for the rest of the game.

For a long time, though, it seemed that the 1-0 deficit might hold. Villanova starter Kat Gallant gave up just one hit through the first five innings and seemed poised to go the distance until Jade Hylton delivered a clutch solo home run to straightaway center field to tie the game in the sixth inning.

With Madi Harris holding things down in the circle, the game went to extra innings and the Cavaliers finally seized control in the top of the eighth. Boggs drew a leadoff walk, Hylton doubled, and Cabral singled to score Boggs. Hylton scored on an Eaton sacrifice fly and then Sarah Coon delivered the dagger with a two-run double.

Harris worked around a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth to secure Virginia's 5-1 win. In 6.1 innings of work, Harris gave up zero earned runs and just four hits and struck out a career-high 10 batters, improving to 7-1 on the season.

Now 24-10 overall, Virginia continues its seven-game road trip with a three-game series at Notre Dame next weekend.