Though it has not been the best of seasons for the Virginia softball team, memories of solid performances can still be gleaned from the 2007 season.
"I'd have to say probably the Fresno game [was our best game]," Virginia coach Karen Johns said. "Being able to beat a ranked team and keep coming from behind each time -- that was a great ballgame for us to play."
As the season approaches a close, the team still has a chance to make a run in the ACC Tournament. If the Cavaliers win it, they will qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
First, however, Virginia (17-34, 1-17 ACC) has to face Georgia Tech (46-13, 11-6 ACC) in one more gear-up series before the ACC Tournament.
The Yellow Jackets, winners of 12 straight ballgames and ranked No. 20 in the latest ESPN.com college softball poll, create a host of problems for opposing teams.
First, their hitting stings teams with plenty of runs. The Yellow Jackets score just under 11 runs per game. The Jackets' top hitter, senior outfielder Caitlin Lever, is batting an exceptional .455. The team also has five other players with batting averages over .300.
"They are a massive offensive team," Johns said. "They probably don't have the top-level pitching that they would prefer to have, but they just score tons of runs so it's going to be a big challenge to keep them off the bases."
The Yellow Jacket pitching staff, however, is not lacking in success.
Sophomore Tiffany Johnson (16-6, 2.24 ERA), junior Whitney Humphreys (20-5, 2.52 ERA) and senior Sarah Wood (8-1, 3.00 ERA) represent a strong presence in the circle.
Virginia's pitching staff has been given a boost this year with the unanticipated rise of junior Whitney Holstun. Listed on the roster as an outfielder, Holstun now sports a 6-5 pitching record.
Holstun said the coaching staff's decision to try her at pitching was "very unexpected."
"I never really wanted to or didn't want to," she said. "We were struggling with our pitching staff, and so they tried me out and it worked."
Johns noted that Holstun is able to control the pace of the game.
"She's managed a good tempo and rhythm in the games," Johns said. "She's kept us in games for the most part. We're hoping she can give us a couple more weekends of that and get us through [the ACC] Tournament."
Virginia, however, will now face the challenge of using what they know about their conference opponents to their advantage.
"I think both teams learn a little bit from each other," senior utility player Brooke Sorber said. "It depends on how well you can make that work for you. Knowing what pitchers throw can really help batters. But they also know what the batters have done, so you just got to see how to make it work for your team."
No matter how far the Cavaliers can go this season, one has to wonder how next year is shaping up. A high-quality recruiting class should turn the Cavaliers' fortunes around.
"We have a very solid class coming in," Johns said. "Two of the top players in the country are in that class. The other three are very strong athletes. We're looking forward to bringing them in. Pitching and middle infield [should improve]. We're also adding overall team speed and a little more athleticism."
For now, however, the Cavaliers have the end of this year to focus on. It is not over yet, with the team's last chances starting Friday at 3 p.m. with the doubleheader against Georgia Tech. Saturday's game is at 1 p.m. The ACC Tournament begins May 10 in Tallahassee, Fla.
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