Leading off the bottom of the first inning, junior infielder Jade Hylton was up to bat with a chance to make history. Sitting at 35 home runs, she was one home run away from becoming the all time career home run leader for Virginia. Still, Hylton appeared at ease as she stepped up to the plate.
Hylton wasted no time, jumping on the first pitch and crushing it to left-center field. Everyone watched as the ball went over the fence and Hylton officially became the Cavaliers’ (30-13, 11-7 ACC) home run leader — moving past infielder Sara Larquier, who played for Virginia from 2003 to 2006. Hylton’s approach was representative of Virginia’s offense as a whole in the 10-2 victory — aggressive early in counts.
“We came out ready to attack, very clear in our plan and got swings off on the pitches we were looking for early,” Coach Joanna Hardin said. “It was a really special moment when [Hylton] broke the record and I’m grateful I get to be on the field for some of these moments.”
Hylton’s record-setting blast kicked off the bottom of the first inning for Virginia at Palmer Park Sunday afternoon, where the Cavaliers faced the Orange (22-19, 3-15 ACC) for the final matchup of the series. After shutting out Syracuse’s offense in two games Saturday, Virginia was ready to secure a third victory and sweep the series.
And sweep it did. The Cavaliers closed out the fifth inning with a 10-2 victory over the Orange — setting themselves up well for the quickly-approaching ACC Tournament.
Supporting Hylton’s strong start to the game was senior utility player Sarah Coon. Coon struck a home run of her own, and it came at a crucial moment — with two runners on base, Coon’s blast gave Virginia a 4-0 start to the game.
Junior pitcher Eden Bigham started Virginia off defensively and had no trouble maintaining the momentum created by the offense. In the top of the first inning, Bigham shut the Orange down with back to back strikeouts against the first two hitters. The third hitter worked a walk but Bigham let nothing come of it by striking out the next hitter. Before Virginia knew it, Bigham’s non-stop pitching had shifted the team to offense, leading to a three-run frame.
Bigham maintained the Cavaliers’ defensive excellence in the second inning — even when she injured one of the fingers on her throwing hand halfway through. Although Syracuse was able to score a run, Bigham was able to limit the damage.
In the bottom of the second inning, Virginia excelled. Hylton’s second home run of the game kicked the Cavaliers off — it was followed by a triple from sophomore infielder Bella Cabral, capitalizing on a Syracuse error and a double by senior catcher Sydney Hartgrove.
A strong hit by Coon gave the appearance of a double, so she kept her momentum going past first base. Coon collided with a Syracuse infielder, causing the trainers to come out, but Coon was ultimately able to stay in the game — a relief for the Cavaliers.
This offensive explosion early in the game is what secured the victory for Virginia. By the end of the second inning, the Cavaliers were up 9-1. This large lead allowed Bigham to exit and give freshman pitcher Ava Hodges and junior pitcher Courtney Layne opportunities in the circle. Hodges shut the Orange out and Layne allowed just one run.
With the defense maintaining Virginia’s lead, the remaining innings were just a matter of staying focused. But halfway through the game, it seemed that Syracuse still had a chance to come back.
With two Orange runners on base, the left-handed Layne was on the mound. Syracuse, on the other hand, was hoping for a pinch hit. A walk loaded the bases and raised the stakes. The next batter made good contact but the Cavaliers caught the ball — trading the out for a run.
Understanding the importance of closing out the game, Layne faced down her Syracuse opponent — and she recorded her second strikeout when it mattered most. With the score now 9-2, Virginia returned to offense.
Fortunately for the Cavaliers, this would be their final inning — as a double by Hartgrove put Virginia up 10-2, in range of the mercy rule. The Cavaliers shut out any hits in the top of the fifth inning and ran off the field cheering, as they had swept the series and watched Hylton make history.
Virginia will stay home at Palmer Park to face Radford Tuesday evening. Now closer to the postseason tournaments, the Cavaliers know that these single game victories are just as important as the series. Virginia will then face Louisville for their next home series beginning Thursday — the Cardinals, a struggling ACC opponent, represent a promising opportunity for another sweep.
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