After being ousted from the ACC Championship quarterfinals by No. 14 Virginia Tech, Virginia still had one thing left to look forward to — the NCAA Softball Selection Show.
Sunday night, the entirety of the team and their family and friends huddled into Palmer Park to watch the show on the jumbotron. And as a reward for another impressive season that featured 37 regular-season wins for the first time since 2004, the Cavaliers (38-13, 13-10 ACC) earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. This marks the third year in a row where Virginia was able to advance to the postseason, a testament to the improvement and growth in recognition of the program.
“We’re so grateful to have the opportunity to compete this weekend,” Coach Joanna Hardin said. “We don’t take for granted how difficult it is to be in this field of 64 and the job the selection committee has to do.”
The road to Oklahoma City starts in Knoxville, Tenn., this weekend with No. 8 Tennessee hosting the regional round and Northern Kentucky and Indiana also joining the bracket. The regional presents both a massive opportunity and a difficult test for the Cavaliers — their season rides on a performance that has minimal room for error.
Virginia opens regional play against the Hoosiers (42-24, 17-7 Big Ten) in what may be the swing game of the bracket. Indiana arrives with one of the most explosive offenses in the country, ranking fifth overall in scoring with an average of 8.0 runs per game. Three of the Hoosiers’ also earned All-Big Ten Honors after batting over .325, drawing at least 25 walks and stealing 10 or more bases this season.
Even with the talent that Indiana presents, the Cavaliers counter with balance — strong pitching and defensive consistency. Their pitching staff, led by seniors Courtney Layne and Eden Bigham and accompanied by rising-star freshman Taylor Smith, has given Virginia stability in big moments, most recently keeping them in the game versus Pitt.
However, while a stellar defensive front is much-needed to win games, the Cavaliers must be able to get things going early on the offensive side. In the quarterfinal against Virginia Tech, Virginia struck out 14 times in 25 at bats — 56 percent. It was not until the final inning where the Cavaliers were finally able to load the bases, but even then it was too late. An offensive stall such as this one would be unacceptable in a regional, especially with a team like the Hoosiers on the other side of the ball.
Fans should take some comfort in knowing that even if Virginia were to lose to Indiana, the team would still have another chance to redeem itself in a double-elimination game played Saturday. However, if all things go as planned, the Cavaliers will likely have a shot at the Lady Volunteers (42-10, 16-8 SEC).
“We’re comfortable in Knoxville and have played there a lot in recent years,” Hardin said. “We’re comfortable with the field and facilities.”
In the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Virginia was eliminated by Tennessee in the regional championship. This potential matchup provides an opportunity for revenge. The Lady Volunteers enter the tournament with the nation’s best team ERA, 1.33, and have hosted regionals for 21 straight seasons, making them one of the sport’s toughest postseason draws.
If things were to not go their way in Friday evening’s game, then the Cavaliers will most likely face Northern Kentucky. The Norse (26-23, 11-7 HL) automatically qualified for the tournament after winning the conference championship for the Horizon League, coming into the tournament with a 10-game winning streak. Still, Virginia must advance past the Hoosiers before they can worry about Tennessee or Northern Kentucky.
Ultimately, in order to make it to the super-regional round of the tournament, the Cavaliers must hone in on capitalizing with runners in scoring position and avoiding big innings against high-powered offenses. Virginia has shown composure, toughness and the ability to respond to adversity — now comes the challenge of keeping the season alive.
“We’re thankful we get to play another weekend together,” Hardin said. “We’re going to do everything we can to extend our season and stay together as long as possible.”
The Cavaliers’ matchup versus the Hoosiers is slated for Friday at 8 p.m. on ESPN 2.
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