Virginia softball is off to a dominant start, racing to a 12-1 record through their first 13 games, not only winning, but winning big — four of those victories have come via mercy rule, already quadrupling last season's total at the same point in the year. Two of those ruthless finishes came this week while they hosted the Mizuno Classic.
It was a packed week for the Cavaliers (12-1, 0-0 ACC) as they endured five games in three days. However, they seemed relatively unaffected, cruising to a 5-0 tournament finish, scoring no fewer than five runs and holding opponents to no more than four in every contest.
The first game in their stretch — and first extension of mercy — came against Maryland. Freshman Taylor Smith started in the circle, striking out her first batter and retiring the side in a clean first inning. She could not keep that momentum, however, giving up a home run to her first batter in the top of the second to put Maryland (6-9, 0-0 Big Ten) up 1-0. Coach Joanna Hardin let her finish the inning, where she recorded two more strikeouts and two walks.
Virginia’s offense answered immediately. Senior Kelsey Hackett and sophomore Alex Call both singled to open the bottom of the second, and with two runners on, redshirt freshman Reagan Hickey drove a deep home run to score three. The rally continued as the Cavaliers tacked on three more runs for a 6-1 lead.
Hardin called on senior Courtney Layne to replace Smith in the third. Layne did not allow any more runs, recording four strikeouts, while solid fielding — highlighted by the efforts of senior Jade Hylton — kept Maryland scoreless the rest of the game.
"I mean, really, defense to me is just like a reaction. So if I see the ball, I go to the ball," Hylton said.
The Cavaliers continued to tally runs each inning until the bottom of the fourth, where freshman Edith Kaplan drove in the final RBI of the game. Junior Bella Cabral recorded the final out — her second assisted out of the game, to lead the team — in the fifth to complete a 14-1 mercy rule victory.
The two teams matched up again the very next day, but this one was neck and neck. Junior Julia Cuozzo got the start and delivered a solid outing, allowing just one run and striking out three in three innings. When Bigham came in for her in the fourth, three more runs scored — one on an error by Cabral.
Junior Macee Eaton led the way offensively, recording two hits and three of Virginia's five RBIs. Her efforts gave the Cavaliers a 5-4 lead in the fifth after they surrendered three in the fourth. Bigham then settled in and did not allow another run, closing out the win against the Terps.
Later that night, Virginia faced Ohio State. In a high-scoring affair, the Cavaliers tallied eight runs, with Hylton and Eaton each hitting homers. Hylton also added a double and three RBIs.
Layne started against the Buckeyes (6-7, 0-0 Big Ten), going 5.1 innings. She surrendered one run in the first, then three more in the sixth before Bigham came in to close out the 8-4 win, Virginia's third of the tournament.
The Cavaliers saw Ohio State again the next day, this time scoring eight runs while allowing none, leading to a mercy rule win in the fifth inning.
Smith started in the circle with Bigham coming in to close the final three innings. The duo allowed a combined two hits to a squad that had put up four runs against Virginia the previous day. With Smith appearing in two games over the weekend, it has become clear that Hardin is building trust in her, incorporating the freshman into an already elite rotation.
"She's the future. She's getting her feet wet a little bit. She's got really good stuff," Hardin said. "She just adds to what we have."
The defense's shutout effort set up the offense to capitalize. Virginia scored four early runs in the first, went relatively quiet, then erupted in the fifth. Cabral opened the inning with a liner that carried just enough to clear the fence for a solo home run. Before "Pump It Up" even finished playing over the stadium loudspeakers in celebration, Hickey crushed a walk-off two-run homer to seal the game — tying her with Eaton for the team lead in home runs. That tie did not last long.
After a little hacky sack and some strategy updates, the second game of the day got underway against Delaware.
Cuozzo started in the circle against the Blue Hens (6-10, 0-0 CUSA), retiring the side on three-pitch first strikes in a clean first inning. She pitched 4.1 innings, struck out six batters and gave up just two hits. Layne came in during the top of the fifth and also allowed no runs while surrendering one hit.
Stellar pitching from Cuozzo and Layne created hitting opportunities throughout. Senior Kassidy Hudson started the scoring with a one-run RBI double that snuck under the centerfielder's glove. In the third, Eaton homered to retake the team lead, sending a message — though Hickey took it in stride.
"Yeah, I think that's just testament to what Coach T has us working on. He's helping us be really selective, staying to a plan in the box … So we have a really good plan coming," Hickey said. "Macee's killing it. She's crushing everything."
The second day of softball was a full team effort, with pitching and hitting, answering each other's calls and keeping pressure off the other side of the ball.
"I mean, gosh, [the hitters] helped me relax," Bigham said. "There's a whole different approach, you know, when you're pitching with a one-run lead versus like, four."
The final game on Sunday was cancelled due to weather and travel issues. Regardless, it was a successful weekend — the Cavaliers closed out the Mizuno Classic having extended their winning streak to 12.
Virginia continues play on Feb. 24 at Longwood University at 2 p.m. The last time these two teams met, the Cavaliers won narrowly, 3-0.
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