The Virginia softball team will travel to Towson, Md. this afternoon for a doubleheader against the Towson Tigers in a rematch of the Cavalier Classic, which was held earlier this season.
In the first meeting between these two squads, the Cavaliers emerged victorious behind an outpouring of offensive success. Senior captain Heather Field led off the bottom of the first with one of her team-high six home runs on the season, propping open the flood gates for a 10-2 Cavalier romp shortened to six innings by the mercy rule.
It is that kind of offensive performance Virginia has lacked in recent contests. Beginning ACC play last weekend against North Carolina, Cavalier bats were stifled for the majority of the doubleheader en route to a pair of conference losses which only yielded three Virginia runs. Despite beginning the season with a promising 9-2 record, the Cavaliers now stand at 25-20 overall and, more importantly, 0-2 in ACC competition.
Entering the season, Virginia players and coaches made their single goal no secret to anyone -- to qualify for the regional tournament. To do so would be to accomplish something none of the current players have been able to do while at Virginia.
"When we came to winter workouts, the first thing we said is that our season ends in July," Field said prior to the season. "Our main goal is to make it to Regionals. Whether we make it past Regionals and into the World Series, we just know we are going to make it to Regionals."
Following last weekend's defeats and the team's rollercoaster Spring Break trip which saw them win two games over top 25 teams while compiling a mediocre 4-9 record, the Cavaliers know they have a long road ahead of them. Selection to the regional tournament is difficult and a solid conference record is a must.
"You have to be one of the probably top three teams in the ACC [to qualify] and this is not a good start," head coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "We probably have to win just about every ACC game left."
Such a task could prove extremely difficult for a young Cavalier team that features only three seniors. The last time Virginia swept a conference doubleheader was at home last March against Maryland. Even more difficult a task will be trying to garner conference wins on the road. It has been two seasons since Virginia has won even a single ACC road contest.
If the Cavaliers hope to turn things around and gain the attention of the selection committee, this afternoon's contests against Towson might be an opportunity to gain some momentum before diving back into ACC play. Following today's doubleheader, Virginia will have three days of practice before traveling south to compete in two games against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Saturday afternoon.
Despite their sub-par performances of late, the Cavaliers understand what has to be done to fulfill their goals. Maybe for Virginia, recognition can be the first step towards realization.
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