Virginia Softball Pulls Massive Upset Over No. 2 Virginia Tech 5-3

The Cavaliers snapped a 14-game losing streak to Virginia Tech and won in Blacksburg for the first time since 2012

Author:
Matt Newton
Publish date:
Apr 15, 2022 10:09 PM EDT

For the first time since April 21st, 2012, Virginia softball defeated Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. The Cavaliers strung enough hits together, including a pair of home runs, to give some run support to Molly Grube, who pitched a near complete game and picked up the win as UVA pulled off the massive 5-3 upset at No. 2 Virginia Tech on Friday night in Blacksburg.

Virginia's 5-1 loss to Virginia Tech in Game 1 on Thursday extended the Cavaliers' losing streak to the Hokies to 14 games dating back to the 2017 season. On Friday night in Blacksburg, that streak finally came to an end.

UVA used the long ball to get on the board early, as junior Gabby Baylog took Virginia Tech starter Emma Lemley deep to left field for a solo home run in the top of the first inning to put Virginia up 1-0.

In the top of the third, the Cavaliers scored again as Arizona Ritchie singled to get on base, advanced to third on some small ball, and came home on a Leah Boggs single up the middle.

Virginia Tech answered back in the bottom of the third with three consecutive singles followed by a sacrifice fly. Kelsey Bennett had the last RBI single and Emma Ritter delivered the game-tying sacrifice fly.

After a scoreless fourth inning, UVA used some more small ball to retake the lead. Reece Holbrook drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a bunt, moved to third on a wild pitch, and then came around to score on a single from Tori Gilbert. Lemley was able to settle in after that and get the final two outs of the inning without any further damage, but more trouble awaited her in the sixth.

Katie Goldberg worked a full count to lead off the top of the sixth inning and then hit a home run over the center field wall.

Freshman Kailyn Jones then doubled to left center and Holbrook came up and hit another double to left center to score Jones to give Virginia a 5-3 lead.

Molly Grube was superb in the circle for the Cavaliers, going 6.2 innings, giving up just two earned runs on three hits and striking out five batters. Grube remained on the mound in the bottom of the seventh looking to close out the game, but gave up a leadoff double to Morgan Overaitis. Grube got the next batter to ground out, advancing Overaitis to third, and then struck out Cameron Fagan to get the Hokies down to their final out.

Darby Trull reached base on an error by Arizona Ritchie, which allowed Overaitis to score to make it 5-3. Virginia pulled Grube and inserted Madison Harris, needing just one out to end the game.

Harris walked the first batter she faced, putting the tying run on first and bringing the winning run to the plate. Harris worked the next batter, Emma Ritter, to an 0-2 count and then got Ritter to ground to second base. Ritchie redeemed her error from earlier in the inning and made the play to end the game, giving the Cavaliers their first win over the Hokies in over five years.

The win evens the series at one game apiece and snaps a four-game losing skid for Virginia (22-20, 8-8 ACC). The victory was also UVA's third win over a No. 2-ranked team in program history and first since 2010.

Virginia will look to win the series and capture a point for UVA in the Commonwealth Clash in game 3 on Saturday at 2pm.

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