It was impossible -- the game was over, finished, done with.
With Virginia down by three runs to No. 2 Florida State in the bottom of the seventh, half of the crowd had already left. After all, the Seminoles had won 23 straight ACC games, and pitcher Jess van der Linden already had two outs and the confidence of a two-time national player of the year finalist.
But then it happened -- van der Linden walked junior Lauren Dennis and sophomore Jackie Greer in consecutive at-bats. Suddenly, the tying runner was on first base with sophomore Jessica Taylor at the plate. The visibly shaken Seminole pitcher hit Taylor with a pitch, bringing in one run. Senior captain Heather Field smashed a single off the glove of the Seminole shortstop, plating two more to bring the score to 4-4. As the crowd went bananas, freshman Elea Crockett, aka the "Crockett Rocket," stepped to the plate with the game on the line.
"I was thinking everyone else got on," Crockett said. "So I thought I really should too."
Crockett did more than just get on. With the composure of a seasoned veteran, she launched van der Linden's first offering back up the middle to give Virginia the 5-4 victory and its highest-ranked win in school history.
"I want to give the credit to the whole team," coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "They did not give up. Even when we got down, they didn't let up. Before when we've gotten behind, we would make error after error. But today we kept it close and gave ourselves an opportunity. Then we jumped on it."
This is not the first time Crockett has surprised people with her bat. A highly sought-after recruit, Crockett was expected to come in and contribute defensively as the team's starting second basemen. What was not expected was the offensive production that has also followed the Arizona native to Charlottesville. Beginning the season ninth in the batting order, Crockett has played her way up to second in the lineup with a team-leading .367 batting average and 16 stolen bases.
"I knew Elea could contribute with her speed," Sprangel said. "The question you never know is are they going to be able to make the contact? She definitely has that ability."
In the first game of the day, Cavalier senior Joanna Barstad pitched brilliantly as she held the powerhouse Seminoles to one run on three hits in a 1-0 losing effort. Florida State pitcher Casey Hunter also threw a gem, shutting out the Cavaliers and allowing only five hits while striking out nine. But it was a solid pitching performance in game two by Tallahassee native Erin Horn that allowed the Cavaliers to stay close enough to make a miracle seventh possible. Horn allowed four runs on 10 hits but struck out five while walking none.
"I've grown up watching Florida State softball," Horn said. "I've been to FSU softball camps and worked with some of the girls. They are an awesome team, and I'm just really happy that we beat them."
With three wins over top-25 teams this season, the Cavaliers are hoping their strength of schedule and quality wins will get the attention of the regional tournament selection committee. But regardless of the team's postseason fate, the Cavaliers can now look back at this season and smile knowing that for one afternoon, the impossible became a little more possible.
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