With the comfort of a cool breeze on a spring season that is heating up, the Virginia softball team found their hitting rhythm at the right time in yesterday afternoon's doubleheader, earning a pair of victories, 6-1 and 6-5, over visiting East Carolina University.
Freshman infielder Sarah Larquier powered the Cavaliers (25-16) to victory with a homerun, her tenth of the season. Virginia's win over the Pirates (17-17) last Saturday by a comfortable 5-1 margin made yesterday's game seem like it would be an easy win. The second game, though, proved otherwise.
The momentum, however, was still swaying Virginia's way when the Cavaliers came to bat in the opening inning of the second game. Freshman outfielder Jessica Taylor scored the Cavaliers' first run off a double by Larquier that also put senior third baseman Ruby Rojas on third. Junior third baseman Tracy Sherman hit a single on the next play to drive both Larquier and Rojas home.
East Carolina adjusted after catching two quick fly balls to end the inning and came into the second inning with a quick double and a single. Catcher Krista Jessup was the first to bat in a run for the Pirates, as infielder Kate Manuse ran successfully past the plate.
Despite the confidence boost by Cavalier junior pitcher Joanna Barstad's three strikeouts, the Cavaliers could not get on base in the second inning. ECU took advantage of a Virginia error on an overthrown ball to first base by scoring a double, and after walking Manuse the Pirates had the bases loaded.
On the next play, Pirate catcher Krista Jessup launched the ball into right field, resulting in a dropped ball error. East Carolina was able to manage two runs before the Cavaliers finally threw to home for the out.
Rojas credited the mid-game slump to lackadaisical play that caused the Cavaliers to lose control of the game.
"We made a lot of physical errors and a couple mental errors," said Rojas. "It got a little sluggish, we came out flat and we weren't really focused."
After both teams went scoreless in the fourth inning, the Pirates began to demonstrate they weren't going to be happy with just a close game.
After a single up the middle, outfielder Lacassa Hill registered a triple on a throwing error by the Virginia third baseman, bringing another Pirate home. Johnson flew out to centerfield on the following play, but Hill ran in to give Eastern Carolina a 5-3 lead.
Despite loading the bases in the top of the seventh inning, Virginia relief pitcher Jenn Wynn came through with two crafty strikeouts to give the Cavaliers a better chance to win it out in the bottom of the seventh.
Wynn and fellow pinch hitter Christine Grimm got the Cavaliers in scoring position quickly with a single and a double, respectively. After a fly out, Taylor's single on the following play allowed Virginia to score another run.
Rojas was up to bat next for the Cavaliers, and the Cavalier with the highest batting average did not disappoint in hitting a double down the left field line that brought in senior outfielder Katie Weinberg and Taylor for the win.
Rojas said hitting the final run "felt good because I really wasn't having the best game defensively, so I just wanted to make up for it."
Thanks to Rojas, coupled with the successful pinch hitting by Wynn and Grimm, Virginia once again found its stride in Charlottesville.
"We've had a lot of confidence to come back when we had to, and luckily we were fortunate enough to today," said Virginia coach Cheryl Sprangel.
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