Slugfest at South Carolina as Virginia fails to make Mark

The Virginia softball team, with a record standing at 3-2, wrapped up their opening weekend on Sunday, February 11, 2024, in a grueling match. The cavaliers failed to secure a victory at No. 23 South Carolina (5-0) with a scoreline of 7-1.

How The Game Unfolded

The game began with an intense battle, setting a stalemate for the first two innings before the Gamecocks turned the tide in their favor in the third inning. They utilized a two-out grand slam which put the Gamecocks ahead by four runs. The cavaliers were left trailing as their opponents continued mounting pressure, which led to a single run in the fifth and two additional runs by the sixth. This increased the Gamecock’s lead to 7-0.

Virginia only managed to score in the seventh inning when Abby Weaver ripped an RBI double to the wall in right center. This allowed pinch runner Kamyria Woody-Giggetts to score from first base. She had come in to run for Macee Eaton who initially reached base on a walk.

Performances of The Day

For Virginia, Eden Bigham (1-1) shouldered the loss, having let in four runs on two hits over 2.2 innings of play. She also notched three walks and two strikeouts.

South Carolina’s Sage Mardjetko (1-0) secured a win for her side, conceding only three hits across five innings. Mardjetko’s performance also included one walk and three strikeouts.

Highlights of The Match

Abby Weaver managed to drive in her first run of the season with that RBI double in the seventh inning. Similarly, Kamyria Woody-Giggetts added another run to her tally for the year after also scoring against UNCG the previous day.

Closing Remarks from Coach Joanna Hardin

Despite the loss, Head Coach Joanna Hardin asserted that the weekend had its positive moments. Hardin explained, “The takeaway from these last two games is that against great opponents you can’t have moments, you have to put together a seven-inning performance.” She also noted that the teams missed some opportunities on offense and defense which they need to work on. Coach Hardin finished by emphasizing the need for better execution during games and reiterating her commitment to improvement leading up to the next encounter.

What’s Next for Virginia?

The Cavaliers will be hitting the road next weekend to compete at the Easton Bama Bash which is hosted by Alabama. Virginia is set to play five games over the weekend, starting off with Southern Indiana and No. 12 Alabama on Friday, February 16, 2024.