Softball: UVA notches 6-0 shutout win over JMU in midweek action

By Colin Moore
JerryRatcliffe.com correspondent

Virginia had the bats working early and often Tuesday, as the Cavaliers were able to blank visiting James Madison, 6-0, at Palmer Park. Bella Cabral contributed first with a solo blast to get the Wahoos on the board, and they kept adding to the tally while silencing the Dukes’ bats.

Virginia (18-7) got on the scoring sheet first in the bottom of the first when Cabral lifted a shot just over the left-field wall to give her team a 1-0 advantage.

The Dukes (11-9) did everything they could defensively to contend with the Hoos. Second baseman Madison Edwards made a tremendous diving catch in the third to keep the score at 1-0 entering the fourth.

The Cavaliers had an eventful bottom of the fourth, as they found themselves with two outs and began the fight in the batter’s box. UVA managed to load the bases after three consecutive walks, with Kelly Ayer on deck. Ayer came up huge with a deep single, knocking in two more runs to make it a 3-0 ballgame.

Moments later, Ayer decided to steal second, and on her diving slide, she knocked the ball out of the glove of JMU’s shortstop. Ayer was safe, and it allowed another run to score for the Hoos, as Jade Hylton snuck in from third.

After noticing, the Dukes threw the ball down to home where it was bobbled, and that allowed Ayer to also steal third standing. Then up came Cabral, who smacked another long ball that bounced off the wall, scoring Ayer and giving her a stand-up double to extend the Hoos’ lead to 5-0.

UVA added one more in the fifth after Reece Holbrook led the inning off with a stand-up double. She launched a shot that bounced into the wall in the gap in between the center and left fielder. Holbrook then stole third on a wild pitch, and two batters later, Kailyn Jones hit a deep sacrifice fly that allowed Holbrook to tag and score.

Savanah Henley (5-1) secured the win, pitching the final 5.0 innings and allowing 3 hits with 2 walks to go with 5 strikeouts. Henley pitched with emotion, striking out two of her last three batters as she kept the clean sheet for the Hoos. She relieved Julia Cuozzo, who pitched the first 2.0 innings and held the Dukes to 3 hits with 0 walks and 2 strikeouts.

Madalyn Johnson (1-4) took the loss for the Dukes.

BOX SCORE

ADDITIONAL NOTES
Courtesy UVA Media Relations

• Virginia improved to 28-25 all-time against JMU and has won four straight games in the series.
• Bella Cabral’s home run in the first inning was her fifth of the season and she is tied for the team lead in home runs with Jade Hylton, Macee Eaton and MC Eaton.
• With her 3-for-4 day at the plate and a triple away from the cycle, Cabral raised her batting average to .400 for the season and she boasts a team-leading .743 slugging percentage.

UP NEXT

Virginia continues its homestand by hosting Boston College in a three-game series in ACC competition, beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. at Palmer Park.