Softball On SI

Virginia Hands FSU Softball Its First ACC Loss in Dramatic Fashion

​Virginia ended Florida State's 14-game winning streak with a 2-0 shutout, marking FSU's first ACC loss this season.
Maren Angus-Coombs|
Virginia softball's Jade Hylton gets set in the box during an ACC conference game against the Cal Bears.
Virginia softball's Jade Hylton gets set in the box during an ACC conference game against the Cal Bears. | Virginia Athletics

Jade Hylton blasted a two-run home run in the fifth inning, and the Virginia Cavaliers held on to take down the No. 6 Florida State Seminoles 2-0 on Friday evening at JoAnne Graf Field.

Hylton has now homered in three consecutive games.

The loss snapped a 14-game winning streak for the Seminoles and was their first conference loss of the season.

Courtney Layne and Eden Bigham combined to hold the Seminoles to two hits. Bigham earned the win and improved to 10-5. She struck out six, walked one, and gave up one hit. Layne got the start and struck out two while walking one.

“I saw complete conviction from the circle tonight, and that set the tone," UVA head coach Joanna Hardin said after the win. "Courtney Layne started us off with nine quality outs and was so good. Eden Bigham then slammed the door. She shook off a few pitches, and we knew she was calling her own game. When she’s calling her own game, she has a deep-seated belief in what she’s doing."

FSU had a unique approach in the circle, starting with Makenna Reid. She went 2.1 innings, scattered three hits, and didn't allow a run. She gave way to Annabelle Widra who closed out the third inning.

Widra went on to pitch 2.1 innings and was handed the loss when she gave up the game's only two runs in the top of the fifth. Ashtyn Danley and Julia Aspel combined to throw the final 2.1 innings and neither allowed a hit.

The Cavaliers' big inning came with two outs. Kailyn Jones drove a triple to the gap in left center and turned the lineup over to Hylton, who didn't waste any time. On the first pitch she saw from Widra, she deposited it beyond the wall in left center.

Bigham slammed the door on the Seminoles in the seventh, striking out the first two batting and getting the third and final out on a pop out to third base in foul territory.

"We chipped away, made some adjustments against a really unique bullpen that can diversify what you see," Hardin added. Jade came up with the big fly and when the bottom of our lineup is getting on to set the table for the top of our lineup, we can do special things. Now we have to go back to work and get ready to play again tomorrow.”

FSU and UVA will continue their series Saturday at 1 p.m. ET and will be on ACC Network Extra.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.

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