RSS
Virginia victory marks beginning of softball season
The Virginia softball team opened its season this weekend in North Carolina at the Campbell/Hampton Inn Invitational, defeating Robert Morris and St. Bonaventure and falling to the host Camels.
The Cavaliers (2-1, 0-0 ACC) began their season Friday with a 4-0 win against Robert Morris. Senior Melanie Mitchell threw a shutout, striking out 16 while allowing only two hits. She became Virginia’s all-time leader in career starts with 113 and earned the win after the offense produced four runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Virginia suffered a setback against host Campbell later that day, losing 8-0 in five innings for its first loss of the season. Junior third baseman Marcy Bowdren had the team’s lone hit in the third inning and freshman Aimee Chapdelaine had an even outing in her first career start, striking out two and allowing five runs in four innings.
The Cavaliers closed out the tournament with a 15-5 win against the Bonnies, tallying 11 hits to earn the five-inning victory. Chapdelaine bounced back from her loss the previous day to earn her first career win, notching three strikeouts and giving up five runs in a complete-game performance.
A fourth game against George Washington scheduled for Saturday evening was postponed because of freezing temperatures and will be made up in Charlottesville at a later date.
Next weekend, the team will travel to Baton Rouge to compete in a tournament hosted by Louisiana State.
—compiled by Peter Nance
