In the first seven games of a 15-game homestand, the Virginia softball team demonstrated both the depth and youth of this season's roster. The Cavaliers defeated Bowling Green State University, 1-0, in Thursday's home opener and went 4-2 in this weekend's Cavalier Classic Invitational Tournament. Virginia finished second behind undefeated Seton Hall and improved their season record to 15-13.
The squad played its first 21 games of the 2003 season away from home, returning to The Park with a 10-11 record.
"Its always a pleasure to be playing at home," said senior third baseman Ruby Rojas, voted Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the tournament. "Its always a lot more fun when you're on your own turf."
Thursday's opener against Bowling Green was scoreless through seven innings. Freshman pitcher Christina Grimm threw a complete game, striking out three batters and walking three in the five-hit shutout. The game was broken open in the eighth, when freshman outfielder Jessica Taylor knocked in the winning run.
"Jessica Taylor is doing a great job as a first year, coming up with some key hits for us in the right situations," coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "The first years are doing a good job, along with the first-year pitchers."
Virginia swept their first doubleheader of the Cavalier Classic Tournament on Friday, defeating Stony Brook by scores of 4-1 and 11-1 in the first day of competition.
Junior pitcher Joanna Barstad threw a six-hitter and allowed one unearned run in the tournament's opening match against the Seawolves. Freshman second baseman Sara Larquier led the team with two hits and two RBIs.
In the second game, freshman pitcher Erin Horn tossed a one-hitter and was supported by an aggressive offense that led to the 5-inning 11-1 victory. Junior shortstop Heather Field went 3-for-4, with one RBI and one run, and sophomore second baseman Lauren Dennis had two hits and three RBIs.
The Cavaliers' momentum was halted Saturday, however, by the Seton Hall squad that swept Bowling Green in their double-header Friday. In the first game, Horn struck out six and allowed only two runs, but that was enough for the Seton Hall victory. The Pirates' pitcher, Christina Shanko, held the Cavaliers to four hits and no runs, and successfully put down the Cavalier bases-loaded threat in the top of the seventh inning. The final score was 2-0 in favor of Seton Hall.
In game two, Virginia managed only one run off seven hits and fell 6-1 to the Pirates. In the bottom of the first inning, sophomore catcher Jenn Wynn drove in Taylor. Grimm let up seven hits and two earned runs in 4.1 innings. Barstad relieved her in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings. The Cavaliers committed four errors during the game, which resulted in four unearned runs.
"Seton Hall's pitchers were smarter against us," Sprangel said. "But I also don't think we were mentally ready."
In the final matchup of the tournament, the Cavaliers regained their focus and offensive power in a pair of wins over Bowling Green. Virginia won Sunday's first game, 9-2, and set a school record for doubles in a game with six. Rojas hit three of those six, tying the school's individual record. Horn pitched into the fifth inning, striking out seven but allowed both runs of the game in that inning. Grimm recorded her first collegiate save, giving up only one hit in 2.2 innings of relief.
In the second game, the Cavaliers defeated the Falcons, 5-3. Barstad recorded the win, and Grimm earned her second save of the day after entering the game in the sixth with the bases loaded. Taylor went 2-2, with a double and an RBI single, while Field had both an RBI double and an RBI triple.
Horn improved her record to 7-6 and lowered her ERA to 2.48. Rojas, who currently leads the team with a .378 batting average, received her tournament honors after batting 8-of-17 on the weekend.
"Sarah Larquier is doing way above whatwould have thought," coach Sprangel said. "I think she's really playing very aggressively and playing hard."
Larquier, who leads the team in RBIs, homeruns and slugging percentage, already held the freshman homerun record with six prior to the homestand and blasted another one in Sunday's second game to set yet another record.
"We need to stay aggressive, swing the bats and give our pitchers a lot of support," Larquier said.
The Cavaliers will be home until March 25, hosting four other teams in the Hoo's Who tournament March 21-23 and finishing with a doubleheader against UNC-Greensboro on March 25. The team plays a twinbill against Rutgers today at 2 p.m. in The Park.
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