Virginia splits doubleheader with George Washington

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Virginia softball team (6-5) closed the weekend strong, taking both games of a doubleheader from George Washington (0-4) on Sunday (Feb. 28) at Palmer Park. The Cavaliers won the first game 4-3 in nine innings before taking game two by a score of 3-1.

Morgan Murphy (Chesapeake, Va.) delivered the walk-off hit in the first game, driving in Donna Friedman (Orange, Calif.) to give the Cavaliers the victory. She went 3-for-5 with two RBI in the first win over the Colonials.

Freshmen pitchers played big roles in both games on the day as Madison Harris (Forest, Va.) took the relief win in game one and Mikayla Houge (Collins, Iowa) took the win in game two with a complete game.

GAME ONE: Virginia 4, George Washington 3 (9 Innings)

Harris (2-3) picked up the win in the first game of the day, working 2.2 scoreless innings in relief. She allowed one hit while walking one and striking out two.

Virginia got off to the quick start, plating a pair of runs in the first inning with back-to-back RBI singles from Murphy and Savana Avilla (Phoenix, Ariz.).

The Colonials responded in the second, putting together a three-run rally to take the lead on the Cavaliers.

Virginia answered in the sixth, tying the game when Katie Goldberg (Atlanta, Ga.) drove in Ashley Jennings (Forest, Va.) from third with an infield single to second.

The Cavaliers claimed game one when Murphy delivered her double to the wall in left center to bring Friedman home from first in the ninth.

GAME TWO: Virginia 3, George Washington 1

Houge (2-1) took the victory in game two, working a complete game as she allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts in her 7.0 innings in the circle. She did not walk a batter.

Virginia struck first in the second game of the day, pushing a run home in the fifth inning when Friedman lifted a single over the third baseman to score Emma McBride (Magnolia, Texas). McBride doubled to open the inning before advancing to third on a sac bunt from Bailey Winscott (Clinton, Miss.).

The Cavaliers extended the lead in the sixth when Winscott delivered a two-RBI single that scored Leah Boggs (Mansfield, Ohio) and McBride. Boggs reached on a fielder’s choice before McBride singled to put two on for the Winscott hit.

George Washington got a solo home run in the seventh inning with two outs before the Cavaliers would close the door and take the doubleheader sweep.