Softball: Virginia rally comes up short in season opener at Charlotte

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia got a pair of home runs as part of a nine-hit performance, but the rally down the stretch came up short as the Cavaliers fell at Charlotte by a score of 10-7 on Thursday at the Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.

Charlotte took the early lead with a bases-loaded sac fly in the first inning. Virginia would answer with a run in the top of the second when Sarah Coon scored on a groundout to short from Leah Boggs.

The 49ers put together a big second inning, using a three-run home run as part of a six-run inning to take the 7-1 lead on the Cavaliers. Virginia would cut back into the lead, pushing home two runs in the fourth and a using a solo home run from Tori Gilbert in the fifth to pull within three at 7-4.

Charlotte would use a second home run, this time a solo shot in the fifth, to push the lead back out to four runs at 8-4. Virginia’s Kate Covington would then hit a three-run shot in the sixth to cut the lead to 8-7 before Charlotte would cap the scoring with two runs in the home half of the sixth to take a 10-7 lead that would hold for the win.

Savanah Henley (0-1) took the loss for the Hoos, allowing five runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout in 1.0 inning of work in the start.

Lindsey Walljasper (1-0) picked up the win for the 49ers, allowing four runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts through 5.0 innings of work.

Game Notes

• Virginia is now 23-4 all-time against the Charlotte 49ers.
• Four players made their first starts for UVA: Kelly Ayer, Sarah Coon, Lauren Vanassche and Savanah Henley.
• Coon scored her first collegiate run and recorded her first hit with a double in the second inning.
• Leah Boggs pushed her hit streak to six games and has reached safely in eight straight dating back to last season.
• Boggs also caught two base runners stealing, throwing out runners in the third and the fifth.
• Kate Covington’s home run was the 14th of her career and her 11th career multiple-RBI game.
• Aly Rayle worked 4.0 innings in relief, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and strikeouts.

Postgame: UVA coach Joanna Hardin

“It was a fun and competitive game. Our team showed a lot of resilience to cut it to a one-run game after falling behind seven to one. Kate Covington came up with a big swing and it was exciting for her as a fifth-year to be ready to go in that moment. It was clearly not the result we wanted, but there were a lot of positive takeaways and we know how good we can be. We’re not the team we want to be, but that’s what these games and weekends are for – to learn more about ourselves and keep getting better. I’m looking forward to the next four games,