This weekend, the Virginia softball team overcame inclement weather to win the Cavalier Classic with a perfect 4-0 record. The four wins were the first home matches of the season for Virginia (13-3), extending the Cavaliers' home winning streak, carried over from last season, to 22 victories.
Over the course of the tournament, shortened to two days because of rain, Virginia easily handled Appalachian State (3-9), Morehead State (2-4) and Rider (0-4), outscoring the three teams 33-8.
On Saturday, Tennessee (21-7-1)posed the most serious threat to Virginia. Even so, after five and a half scoreless innings, Virginia senior center fielder Katie McCabe shot a ball into left field, sending freshmen MK White and Valerie Sevilla home for a two run double, the sole runs of the match. The 2-0 victory secured Virginia's first place finish and redeemed the Cavaliers' earlier loss to the Volunteers on Feb. 17.
As has been the case throughout much of the season, Virginia's defense outmatched their opponents, and no team was able to find an effective means of combating the Cavalier pitching.
Friday, Sevilla and sophomore Joanna Barstad both led the Cavaliers to wins. Against Appalachian State, Barstad gave up two runs on three hits in a solid effort to secure Virginia's 11-2 victory. Later, in the nightcap, Sevilla knotted the Cavaliers' 16-4 tromping of Morehead State.
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In Saturday's pivotal game against the Volunteers, senior All-American pitcher Kristen Dennis led Virginia from the mound, throwing 12 strikeouts and giving up only three hits in a shutout performance. Later in the afternoon, against Rider, the senior standout again excelled. In four innings of relief, she struck out 10 of her 14 opponents and allowed no hits. The performances improved Dennis's season record to 6-1.
"I think it's coming around," Dennis said of her pitching. "I've been practicing hard and working on a lot of different things, against different teams. With three years of experience now, I can judge a team better and know what they are capable of doing."
Offensively, Virginia also bested its four opponents. In Friday's matches, second-year shortstop Heather Field led the Cavaliers at the plate with six hits, including two doubles and a home run. She racked up five RBIs and five runs.
"Right now, my swing is coming together very well," Field said. "I've been working very hard since the beginning of the season on certain pitches that I failed with last year. I'm starting to see the ball really well which comes with playing more games."
Saturday, against Rider, the Cavaliers continued their offensive dominance, securing a lead they never relinquished in the third inning. Dennis went three-for-three and first-year catcher Jenn Wynn had a two-for-three effort, with one RBI.
"We are all starting to hit really well," Field said.
With Virginia extending its home-winning streak, the Cavaliers' own Park continues to be a field that plagues its visitors.
"We know that turf, that dirt, that mound," Dennis explained. "We've been in the batter's box a million times. We're proud of our 22 [game] winning streak and we want to keep that up."
Virginia next competes at the National Invitational Tournament in San Jose, California, starting March 8.
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