Cavaliers Now

Virginia Softball Upsets No. 4 UCLA on MC Eaton's Walk-Off Home Run

Matthew Newton|
Virginia Athletics

Virginia softball capped a highly-competitive weekend at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational with a big-time victory, as MC Eaton delivered a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to give Virginia (5-5) an epic 7-6 victory over No. 4 UCLA (9-1) on Sunday in Clearwater, Florida. The Cavaliers handed the Bruins their first loss of the season and gave the Hoos their first top-five win since taking the three-game series at No. 3 Duke last season.

“All weekend it’s been fight and compete. We’ve had moments of highs and lows, and we never quit," said UVA head coach Joanna Hardin. "I don’t think there was any doubt that we could come back and win that game. I was proud of the hunger. We had a lull in the middle and the team decided they we belonged and to keep fighting. If we had a pitch, we had a chance."

Virginia got off to a hot start against UCLA, as Macee Eaton scored Jade Hylton and Kelly Ayer on a triple to right field in the first inning. Then, Hylton had a two-run triple of her own to score Kelsey Hackett and Reece Holbrook. Ayer then laid down a bunt down the first base line to allow Hylton to score to give the Hoos a 5-0 lead.

Naturally, the fourth-ranked Bruins, who are one of the powerhouse programs in the sport with 12 NCAA Championships and more than 30 Women's College World Series appearances, responded with four runs in the third inning, three of which came on a three-run home run from Seneca Curo. UCLA got two RBI singles to grab the 6-5 lead in the fourth inning.

Neither team scored in the fifth and sixth innings, as the UVA pitching staff kept the Cavaliers within one run entering the final frame. Sarah Coon reached base with a one-out walk and UVA pinch ran Kamyria Woody-Giggetts for her.

Next to the plate was MC Eaton, who on the previous day, came to the plate with Virginia down one run in the bottom of the eighth inning against No. 5 Texas A&M, and struck out looking to end the game. Less than 24 hours later, Eaton got a similar opportunity with the game on the line against a top five opponent and seized her moment of redemption, driving an 0-2 pitch over the fence for the walk-off home run. It just doesn't get much better than that.

"We got the winning run to the plate in the seventh and we did that. We put ourselves in position and if you keep knocking and putting yourself in the right position then the ball will eventually fall your way," said Hardin. "Huge swing from MC. She’s been waiting for that moment and I’m really happy she got that. It was a full team effort and a great way to end the weekend. We have a lot of momentum to carry into the next couple of weekends and we’re excited about being together.”

This has been a tough weekend for Virginia, who opened the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational with a 4-1 win over No. 23 Kentucky, but then lost the next three games against Auburn, No. 5 Texas A&M and San Diego State, two of which by a single run and both of those games in extra innings. But the Hoos ended the weekend on a high note with a fantastic win against a top five opponent.

Up next, Virginia returns home to host Mizuno Classic at Palmer Park with games against Delaware, UConn, Longwood, and Penn in Charlottesville.

More Virginia Sports News

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UVA Women's Lacrosse Opens Season With 20-5 Blowout Over Liberty

UVA Softball Eager to Build on Historic '24 Campaign as 2025 Season Begins

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Matt Newton
MATTHEW NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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