The Virginia softball team got off to an inauspicious start in the Cavalier Classic Thursday afternoon against Georgetown, as the Hoyas broke a 0-0 tie in the final inning with four runs to defeat the Cavaliers 4-0.
Virginia (7-17) started off strong, in part because of an impressive pitching performance from junior starting pitcher Karla Wilburn, who threw six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the top of the seventh. Wilburn went for six and one-third innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, two of them earned. She struck out two without walking a batter.
The team had "awesome pitching from Karla," Virginia coach Eileen Schmidt said. "That was the best, or one of the better games, she's started all season. It's a shame that it comes out that way."
Wilburn was pulled in the top of the seventh with one out and two runners on in favor of senior Whitney Holstun, who allowed both runners to score and finished the game with one earned run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Two Cavalier fielding errors contributed to the breakdown. The first runner of the inning reached when sophomore Sarah Kamenski grounded back to Wilburn, who scooped and made a strong throw to first, but the ball popped out of freshman first basemen Laura McCaskey's glove.
A ground-out and an RBI single followed. Then came the second fielding error of the inning, a dropped catch by junior shortstop Carly Winger on a throw to second base.
Wilburn was then removed in favor of Holstun, who allowed a double and a single, scoring two more. The final run crossed the plate when, with runners on first and third, freshman Aimee Moffat stole second base. The throw from sophomore catcher Kelly Haller bounced away, allowing the runner on third to come home.
"We need to be able to finish a game much better than that," senior Meghan O'Leary said. "One error led to another, and we just didn't know how to put a hold to it.
O'Leary added that Wilburn had a fantastic game, but the team needs to put up a better defensive effort behind her, especially in the seventh inning.
"When we have pitching like that, we need to bring our A-game," O'Leary said. "It's frustrating."
In contrast, Virginia committed three errors in the game and only managed five hits. Georgetown's sophomore starting pitcher Jennifer Connell threw a complete-game shutout to earn the win, allowing only one walk and striking out six Virginia batters. The Cavaliers stranded eight runners on base.
"We should make adjustments earlier in the game," O'Leary said. "We had great swings in pre-game, and then once we got into the game we let our heads take us out of the game."
The Cavalier Classic will continue this weekend, with four games today and another four games tomorrow among the five competing teams. Virginia will play again tonight at 5:30 against Radford, tomorrow at 10 a.m. against Rutgers and against Ohio at 3 p.m.
"We need to get our offense back on track," Schmidt said, looking ahead to the rest of the weekend. "We need to continue to get the good pitching performance that we got and then get our offense on track. As soon as we bust it open and get hot, we're going to be fine."
Games start at 10 a.m. with Georgetown taking on Ohio. Rutgers will play Georgetown next at 12:30 p.m. before Ohio takes on Radford at 3 p.m.
Once Virginia and Ohio complete the 3 p.m. game, the weekend will close with Georgetown against Radford at 5:30.
"We can beat everyone here ... We just need to show it." O'Leary said. "On our home field, we haven't been able to show our capabilities. This is a great weekend to be able to do that"
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