Virginia takes series lead with 2-0 win over NC State

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The Cavaliers took advantage of a pair of miscues in the first inning and made the early lead stand on Sunday as Virginia (8-14, 4-12 ACC) took a 2-0 victory over NC State (13-8, 9-8 ACC) in game three of the weekend series at Palmer Park.

Molly Grube (Chesterfield, Va.) picked up the win as she struck out a season-high six batters and allowed only two hits through 5.1 innings of work. Grube (1-1) walked six in the outing, but kept the Wolfpack off balance and the defense delivered as Virginia stranded eight NC State runners in the outing.

Mikayla Houge (Collins, Iowa) picked up her first career save, working the final 1.2 innings with three strikeouts. Entering the game with a runner on second and one out in the sixth, Houge struck out the next two batters to get Virginia out of the inning with the shutout intact. She then retired the side in order in the seventh for the save.

Virginia scored its two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of a fielding errors on back-to-back batters to get the inning started.

After reaching on an error, Katie Goldberg (Atlanta, Ga.) went from first to third when Emma McBride (Magnolia Texas) lay down a sac bunt that died in front of the plate. The NC State pitcher fielded the ball, but the throw was off to allow McBride to reach and Goldberg to advance to third. A double steal scored the first run and left McBride at second who would then score two batters later when Abby Weaver (Roanoke, Va.) singled to shallow center.

The Cavaliers would make the 2-0 lead hold down the stretch to take the 2-1 lead in the weekend series with the Wolfpack.