Softball: Coon powers Virginia at CSU Buc Up Tournament Saturday

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Freshman Sarah Coon went 4-for-6 with two home runs, five RBI and two runs scored to lead the Virginia softball team (4-5) on Saturday in a pair of games at the CSU Buc Up Tournament hosted by Charleston Southern.

Virginia defeated Sacred Heart (1-2) by a score of 9-4 before falling to Charleston Southern (3-5) by a score of 5-2.

GAME 1: Virginia 9, Sacred Heart 4

The Cavaliers scored first, plating a run on a Sarah Coon single, but Sacred Heart would string together a three-run rally in the home half to take the 3-1 lead on Virginia.

The Cavaliers would tie it in the third with an RBI single from Leah Boggs and an error before pushing three more runs home in the fourth with a bases-loaded walk from Tori Gilbert and a sac fly from Coon combined with a throwing error. Sacred Heart would answer with one run in the bottom of the fourth.

Virginia then got a two-run home run from Coon and a sacrifice fly from Abby Weaver to take the lead out to 9-4 in the sixth.

Mackenzie Wooten (1-0) picked up the win for the Cavaliers in relief, working 3.2 scoreless innings while allowing three hits, walking one and striking out two batters. Mikayla Houge worked 3.1 innings in the start, allowing the four runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Olivia Vadas (0-1) took the loss, allowing six runs – three of them earned – on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings of work.

GAME 2: Charleston Southern 5, Virginia 2

Charleston Southern jumped out to the early lead on the Cavaliers, using a two-run home run as part of a three-run first inning.

Virginia would push a run across in the third on a single to left from Katie Goldberg, but the Bucs would answer with two runs in the fifth. The Cavaliers would get one more run in the sixth when Coon hit her second home run of the day, but could get no closer.

Aly Rayle (1-1) took the loss, allowing the five runs on five hits with three strikeouts. She worked 3.2 innings in the start.

Blake Holtorf (1-2) picked up the win as she allowed two runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in the complete game.

NOTES ON THE DAY

• A reliever, Mackenzie Wooten picked up her fourth career victory with the decision against Sacred Heart.
• Freshman Sarah Coon hit her first collegiate home run with a two-run shot in the sixth against Sacred Heart.
• It was also the first multiple-hit game for Coon, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI against Sacred Heart.
• Coon followed it up with a second home run for the day in the game against Charleston Southern.
• Bailey Winscott went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the game against Charleston Southern.

FROM HEAD COACH JOANNA HARDIN

“We had some very positive moments throughout the day. The challenge on a doubleheader day is to bring the same intensity to every pitch of every inning in every game. Our team is learning a lot about who we are as a team. As we become more consistent, we give ourselves a better opportunity to sustain desirable outcomes. I love coaching this team and I love fighting with them.”

UP NEXT FOR THE HOOS

Virginia will close out the CSU Buc Up Tournament with a single game on Sunday (Feb. 20) when the Cavaliers take on Sacred Heart at 10 a.m.