Hylton will forever be one of the best players to put on a Virginia uniform.
Looking ahead, there are plenty of questions to be had about where Virginia should go from here and what decisions need to be made.
In that moment, she was not only the pitcher who had just secured a win for her team, but also the player she had spent four years becoming — the player that earned every bit of it.
“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.”
Virginia Tech will face second-seeded No. 11 Duke in the semifinal tomorrow, while Virginia will discover their next opponent in the NCAA Regionals following the Selection Sunday ceremony this weekend.
“I get in the box, everything goes silent,” Eaton said. “I kind of go tunnel vision, and I just tell myself, I'm gonna get the job done. I don't think about anything negative. I know they're gonna come in my zone, and when they do, I'm gonna make them pay for it."
To advance past the second round, Virginia will once again need measured performances in the circle from seniors Eden Bigham, Courtney Layne and the rest of a very deep bullpen.
“One of our keys today was show up and finish well,” Hardin said. “That’s important at this point of the season. It’s a grind. We’re ready for a little break here before the ACC Tournament. I’m proud of this team for staying true and steadfast … It’s a long season. I’m proud of how we finished out.”
“I'm used to seeing the ball from a little bit of a different angle,” Call said. “Always happy to be on the field, though. It doesn't matter where I'm at, just getting the opportunity to play, it makes me ecstatic."
“We are just thrilled that we get to be here and continue playing in our house,” Hardin said. “There’s not enough words to say how excited we are.”
Aside from the top of the first and the ultimate outcome of the affair, Virginia’s second win over the Wolfpack was hardly like their first — unlike Friday, the Cavaliers never trailed.
“You could just feel like everyone took a deep breath,” Hardin said.
Virginia entered the inning with a two-run lead. What followed was painful.
“We are all disappointed on how the weekend played out,” Hardin said. “Our execution in multiple phases was inconsistent, however, it’s not for lack of effort or intent by the team and the staff."
The Cavaliers have the opportunity to get a much needed win Sunday at 12:00 p.m. against Clemson to prevent the sweep and gain back some confidence.
“The overall performance in all phases was disappointing tonight,” Hardin said. “I know we’re capable of more than we showed and I know our team believes the same."
“I think we'll continue to find our group and find our rhythm,” Hardin said, “This is tough stuff, because they feel so frustrated and upset, because it really matters to them. They care, and I think they can really appreciate that about the girls. So we'll continue to communicate, continue to fill out our depths and our distances together.”
Both programs now have 10 ACC wins, with the final game of the series serving as a tiebreaker for the third seed in the conference tournament.
The victory is the Cavaliers’ 10th ACC win of the season, their first since a sweep at the hands of Duke last weekend. Tomorrow, Virginia will aim to clinch their first Commonwealth Clash in 15 years — first pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
Coach Joanna Hardin’s squad is set to face No. 12 Virginia Tech Friday at Palmer Park not just looking for a win, but searching for the version of itself that successfully fought through those first four conference series.
