After an upset series win on the road against No. 3 Duke, Virginia couldn't muster the offensive power to beat Virginia Tech in the second of the teams' midweek matchups Tuesday night. Ta. The 15th-ranked Hokies (36-9-1, 17-4 ACC) dominated the Cavaliers (30-16, 13-8 ACC) in every aspect, defeating Blacksburg 6-1. did.
On Tuesday, a nearly identical set of circumstances plagued Virginia as last week's game against Commonwealth in Charlottesville, as Virginia Tech once again had junior pitcher Emma Lemley on the team. Lemley dominated the Cavaliers last time out, allowing just two hits and no runs. Virginia sent out ace sophomore pitcher Eden Bigham to force a pitching battle and try to pull out a low-scoring victory.
After a scoreless first inning, the Hokies' offense broke through. Bigham was forced into a difficult situation with two outs and a runner on second base, but he was unable to escape. The sophomore allowed two singles and one double and scored four runs, with two each coming from freshman infielder Annika Roos and senior outfielder Addie Green. After just 1.2 innings, coach Joanna Hardin was forced to remove the ace early and head to the bullpen, giving credit to sophomore pitcher Courtney Lane, who promptly finished the inning without causing any further damage. did.
The Cavaliers appeared to be regaining some life in the top of the third inning when freshman infielder Bela Cabral hit his sixth solo home run of the season, cutting the lead against Virginia Tech to three runs. Unfortunately for Virginia, junior utility player Cori McMillan connected Cabral's shot with her own on the first pitch of the inning, and the Hokies quickly responded, pushing Virginia Tech's lead back to four points. In the fourth inning, sophomore outfielder Trinity Martin hit a solo home run to give the Hokies a huge lead.
Laine recorded an out and allowed a leadoff single in the fifth inning before yielding the circle to senior pitcher Madison Harris, who shut out Virginia Tech for the rest of the night. However, the damage was done, and Lemley pitched 7.0 innings with one run, allowing just four hits and one walk, with eight strikeouts and improving his record to 11-4. Bigham suffered the loss, dropping his record to 13 wins and 7 losses.
Despite losing Tuesday night's Commonwealth Clash, the Cavaliers have already won the season's competition and hold a total of 12 points. The Hokies earned 0.5 points with Tuesday's win, bringing their total to seven points.
As Virginia enters the final week of the regular season, it will certainly be important for its pitching staff to maintain the same dominance it has displayed all season. In games where the Cavaliers' pitching staff struggles to contain the opposing offense, the struggling batting lineup often has little to no hope of matching the opposing offense. Still, considering the success Virginia found on the road against No. 3 Duke, the ACC's top team, it's hard to be optimistic about the Cavaliers' odds entering the postseason.
Hardin is certainly looking to the future, as he highlights areas where Virginia performed well despite the loss and anticipates a key weekend series against Georgia Tech.
“They're a tough offense, but we played great defense to keep them at bay,” Hardin said. “Bela Cabral hit a home run and we also had some hard-hit balls that hit the screws that they played. We're going to get some rest and have a big weekend for Georgia Tech.”
The series between the University of Virginia and Georgia Tech will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, and will conclude regular season play with the Cavaliers securing fifth place in the ACC and potentially competing for a top-four spot. They need to win two of their three-game series against the Yellow Jackets to secure fifth place, but they're also keeping an eye on Clemson, which starts Friday in a three-game series against Louisville — and Virginia if the Tigers lose a few games. A potential No. 4 seed in the ACC. The Cavaliers begin their game against Georgia Tech on Friday at 6 p.m., with coverage available on ACCNX.
