In their last games at Palmer Park for the season, the Virginia softball team (15-29, 10-23 ACC) took one out of four games against the Syracuse Orange (18-16, 11-13 ACC).
Syracuse used a four-run inning to get the game one victory by a score of 4-1. Alexa Romero pitched a complete game and gave up four hits, and Aly Rayle suffered the loss for the Hoos in 2.2 innings of work after giving up four runs in the third. The Orange put together a five-hit rally with an RBI infield single from Neli Casares-Maher, a two-run double from Gabby Teran, and an RBI double by Lailoni Mayfield. All four runs came in with two outs in the inning. UVA scored one run on an RBI groundout by Rachel Keshin, but that was all they could muster in game one.
UVA also dropped game two of the doubleheader, 7-4. The Hoos committed three errors which led to three unearned runs. Syracuse got things started in the first with two runs on a fielding error, and they added another run on a sacrifice fly in the third. The three-run deficit was too much for UVA to overcome, but they scored in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch and again in the fifth and sixth innings. Syracuse also added to the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Offensive highlights included a two-run double from Syracuse’s Neli Casares-Maher, RBI triples from UVA’s Bailey Winscott and Leah Boggs, and a two-run homer from Syracuse’s Gabby Teran. Lindsey Hendrix was the winning pitcher after 6 innings of work, and Mikayla Houge took the loss for the Hoos.
UVA rebounded from the Friday doubleheader losses to earn a 6-0 victory on Saturday. Mikayla Houge pitched her first career complete game shutout in the win and gave up just four hits, while Kaia Oliver was the losing pitcher for Syracuse. Arizona Ritchie hit a leadoff triple in the first inning and she executed a double steal with Katie Goldberg to get the Hoos on the board. The 1-0 lead lasted until the fifth inning when UVA piled on three more runs courtesy of singles from Bailey Winscott and Katie Goldberg and a double by Donna Friedman. Mikaila Fox added a home run in the sixth and Katie Goldberg hit an RBI infield single to drive in the final run of the game. Arizona Ritchie, Katie Goldberg, Rachel Keshin, and Mikaila Fox had two hits apiece to pace the Cavaliers.
The final game of the series was a pitcher’s duel with three total hits, and Alexa Romero led Syracuse to the 1-0 victory and gave up just one hit. Meanwhile, UVA used four pitchers in the contest and Aly Rayle took the loss after two innings of work. Syracuse scored in the second when Toni Martin walked, stole second, and scored on a double from Lailoni Mayfield. Leah Boggs had the lone hit for the Hoos with a two-out single, but head coach Joanna Hardin commented on all of the loud outs UVA had on senior day, and added she was proud of the energy her team brought to the field.
UVA will wrap up their season with a four-game series at Georgia Tech next weekend.
