Home sweet home.
The Virginia Cavaliers (14-19, 3-2 ACC) will play their third and fourth games of a 12-game home stand today at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Park in a doubleheader against Colonial Athletic Association opponent Towson (15-11, 5-0 CAA).
Virginia is riding high after an impressive draw against the No. 19 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last weekend. The Yellow Jackets are currently 34-9, as well as the top softball team in the ACC, and Virginia was able to split last weekend's pair of games against them.
All that progress, however, will be for naught if Virginia cannot bring a strong showing today at home. Over the course of the beginning of the season, the Cavaliers have shown a tendency to play down against non-conference opponents, as evidenced by their stronger in-conference record than out-of-conference record.
"We have to get up for every game," Virginia coach Cheryl Sprangel said. "We can't overlook anyone. We need to start knocking off everybody along the way."
For Virginia to do that, the Cavaliers will need to do well against a Towson squad that has been playing, and pitching, well of late. The Tigers are currently on a seven-game winning streak, knocking off the likes of James Madison, Canisius College and Drexel along the way.
Virginia also has played a doubleheader with James Madison, coming away with a victory and a defeat last week.
Most recently for Towson, right-handed freshman Jessica Fisher tossed a no-hitter Sunday against Drexel in a 1-0 win. The no-hitter completed a doubleheader sweep of Drexel Sunday at home for the Tigers.
Fortunately for the Cavaliers, Towson comes to town during a home stretch that Virginia hopes to use to turn its season around. Playing at home brings a good sense of familiarity for a squad that has played the majority of its games on the road so far this season. Because spring trips to Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Chattanooga and Honolulu have dominated the schedule thus far, the prospect of a 12-game home stretch brings hope.
"It's nice to be familiar with your surroundings," Virginia junior pitcher Erin Horn, who is 5-4 with a 3.37 ERA on the season, said. "For the pitcher, you know what the mound is going to feel like."
After a slow start to the regular season, during which new starters at first base, shortstop and designated player had to get adjusted, the Cavaliers have circled this home stretch as a time to break out and bring their record back above .500.
"We knew that we had a lot of new players in the beginning," Sprangel said. "We had to really work [out] some kinks. We got a slow start because of that, but that has all gotten us ready for the ACC. That's what the spring trips, and playing the tough teams, are for."
Despite dampening their record, the Cavaliers' struggles in the early schedule could potentially help Virginia in ACC play. In conference play, Virginia has faced N.C. State and Georgia Tech, two teams who have already amassed thirty or more victories. In the five games against those two tough ACC teams, Virginia has gone 3-2, very respectable for a team with a sub-.500 record.
While Towson might not be an ACC foe, the Tigers bring a hot streak and solid pitching to Charlottesville today. For the Cavaliers to get their record back over .500, some fire-extinguishing and hot hitting of their own might just do the trick.
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