Virginia split its doubleheader against Virginia Tech yesterday, taking the first game 2-0 and falling 5-2 in the second contest.
The Cavaliers struggled offensively in the second game, being shut out by Tech's senior pitcher Rachel Pacheco until the sixth inning. The Hokies, on the other hand, managed to score two runs in the second inning to gain the lead for good.
Virginia's hitting woes were severe as they only earned one hit through the fifth inning. The Cavaliers rallied in the sixth and seventh innings, stroking five hits and two runs, but were unable to turn the momentum into a win.
"It's always disappointing to lose," senior shortstop Heather Field said. "Especially when you're starting to come back as a team and unlucky things happen and you just don't finish, that's always hard."
The Cavaliers' inability to finish was partially a result of Pacheco's pitching and Tech's defense. Pacheco faced Virginia with an ERA of .88 and allowed the Cavaliers only one run in the second game. Virginia's second run came after a pitching change brought freshman Karie Morrison to the mound. Morrison threw only four pitches before Pacheco re-entered the game. The Cavaliers managed to make contact with many of Pacheco's pitches, but hit a number of pop flies that kept them off the bases.
"Their pitcher did a really good job," Virginia coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "She does a good job of really mixing her speed. She kept us off stride for awhile. She's tough."
Tech first put points on the board with junior Sarah Prosise's two-run homer in the top of the second. Freshman Coty Tolar was pitching for the Cavaliers, but was taken out when a Hokie double followed the homerun.
"The first pitcher was throwing outside and the umpire wasn't calling it," Sprangel said. "She brought it in a little bit and that's when they got their couple hits to really get them going."
Tolar was replaced by sophomore Erin Horn, who pitched the rest of the game. Horn, who had struck out two batters in less than two innings of play in the first game of the afternoon, only struck out two in six innings of the second game.
The Virginia defense held Tech back significantly. In the top of the fifth inning freshman second baseman Elea Crockett made an over-the-shoulder running catch for the third out of the inning. Crockett also led the team in hits in the second game with two. One of those hits was a bunt that sparked a rally for the Cavaliers in the sixth inning.
The Cavalier defense was effective in the infield and outfield, but was unable to hold the Hokies back enough to compensate for the lack of hits.
"Our defense is strong," Field said. "We just didn't have any hits. We've faced and hit [Pacheco] before, it's just that a lot of people get antsy and don't pick out the good pitches to hit."
The split allows Tech to maintain its one-game lead in the all-time series with Virginia. It brings the Hokies to 24-10 and the Cavaliers to 19-16 on the season. It also ends the Cavaliers' five-game winning streak.
Virginia will host the Hoo's Who Tournament this weekend, with its first of two Friday games scheduled for 1 p.m. against Seton Hall.
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