CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The #25 Virginia Cavaliers (22-7, 4-2 ACC) dominated the field against George Mason (10-17, 2-1 A-10) at Palmer Park, 1-0. Coming from a 9-8 win against Boston College on Saturday, the Hoos are feeling the pressure to continue their five-game winning streak.
The sun is shining, and it is looking like a great day for the Cavaliers. UVA parents and students waited with cheerfulness as they sat basking in the sunlight. Although the crowd was sparse, the energy at Palmer Park was lively, a sharp contrast to the game that was about to begin.
With George Mason up first to bat, there was a slow start to the game as junior outfielder Elyssa DeRosa strikes out. Junior pitcher Eden Bigham throws three strikeouts within the first ten minutes of the first inning. The quickness of the changing of sides pointed to a long, tiresome game for George Mason. The first glimpse of action comes from junior infielder Jade Hylton, the first up to bat and to make contact with the ball.
Three more strikeouts from the Patriots, an aspect that remained constant throughout the game. Still, their momentum never wavered, with George Mason non-starters cheering loud and clear for each batter. Key contributors for George Mason were DeRosa and sophomore outfielder Emily Lampela, who worked hard offensively to try to make runs. Bigham, who performed exceptionally well throughout the game, pitched a season high of ten strikeouts, only four pitches short of her all-time record.
“I think they’re very patient hitters…staying on the plate and attacking them was super helpful,” said Bigham when asked about strategies to navigate George Mason’s batting techniques.
Attacking this team defensively played out well for Brigham, a technique that is not new to this seasoned pitcher.
Brigham explained that “changing speed, trying to keep them off balance…mixing between the two” was key to staying consistent even when UVA dominated offensively.
Senior catcher Sydney Hartgrove throws down the midfield, gaining the first base for the Cavaliers in the second inning but unable to take it home.
“Our productivity tonight with runners in scoring positions was pretty poor offensively,” Virginia Head Coach Joanna Hardin stated when discussing obstacles and challenges for the team.
Freshman pitcher Abbey Lane walked two batters, one being Hylton, ultimately allowing the Hoos to gain momentum. Up again to bat is Hylton, who scores the first and only point for the Cavaliers during this matchup after a hard hit from senior outfielder Kelly Ayer. This point marked Hylton as one of the top performers for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers looked at ease with a 1-0 lead against the Patriots by the fifth inning. Batting for UVA among Hylton and Ayer were sophomore infielder and utility player Macee Eaton and junior utility player Mary Caroline (M.C.) Eaton. Hylton nearly managed to make it to third base as M.C. Eaton hits a ball high and far before it is caught, advancing the game to the sixth inning.
The last two innings moved swiftly with no notable offensive or defensive plays.
Despite a 1-0 Cavalier win, there were still key aspects of the game that Coach Hardin wanted the team to improve upon.
“When we get runners in scoring positions, [it’s] really important that we execute,” Coach Hardin expressed when discussing game takeaways.
Looking ahead, it is important for the Cavaliers to capitalize on their strengths and perform more consistently over the course of the season. Friday at Palmer Park marks the start of the Cavalier’s three-day matchup against Berkeley (22-5, 5-1 ACC).
This was originally created as part of a class assignment for Sports Journalism at the University of Virginia.
Destiny Rae Jones 