Virginia softball opens with a pair of wins

Virginia (2-0) hit six home runs and scored 21 runs through two games on Thursday (Feb. 11) to pick up a pair of run-rule victories over Utah State and Boise State on day one at the Kajikawa Classic.

Erika Osherow (2-0) picked up both wins on the day, working a complete game in her first start against Utah State. She then picked up the relief win against Boise State. Osherow struck out six batters in each game.

 

Game 1 – Virginia 9, Utah State 0 (5 Innings)

In game one, Virginia used a complete-game performance from freshman Erika Osherow (Darien, Conn.) in the circle and used two home runs as part of a nine-hit day to defeat Utah State (0-1) by a score of 9-0 in five innings on Thursday.

Osherow (1-0) picked up the win as she scattered three hits through 5.0 scoreless innings. She struck out six and walked only one. Noelle Johnson (0-1) took the loss for Utah State, allowing seven runs on seven hits through 3.1 innings of work.

The Cavaliers used two-run home runs from Katie Park (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Madison Labshere (El Cajon, Calif.) as part of the nine-run explosion in the season opener. Allison Davis (Oak Hill, Va.) led the offense, going 2-for-3 with three RBI on the afternoon.

Osherow also helped her own case with a two-RBI performance of her own.

Virginia struck first, putting two runs on the board in the second inning when Park hit her two-run shot to left center. Danni Ingraham (Laguna Nigel, Calif.) scored on the home run after opening the inning with a single up the middle in the at bat before Park.

The Cavaliers pushed five more runs across the plate in the fourth inning to take the lead out to 7-0 and force a Utah State pitching change. An RBI double from Davis, a two-RBI double from Osherow and a two-run home run from Labshere accounted for the offensive outburst that put the game firmly in hand.

Davis added two more runs for the Cavaliers in the fifth inning, delivering a two-out, two-RBI double to left that took the lead to 9-0.

 

Game 2 – Virginia 12, Boise State 4 (5 Innings)

In game two, Virginia used a seven-run fourth inning as part of an offensive explosion to pick up a 12-4, run-rule victory over Boise State (0-2) and close out the first day of action at the Kajikawa Classic.

The Cavaliers got four home runs in seven hits on the night to power to the win.

Erika Osherow improved to 2-0 on the season, working 3.1 innings in relief. She allowed one run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts on the way to the victory.

Iyana Hughes (Manteca, Calif.) got things started with a solo shot to straight-away center with one out in the first.

Boise State answered in the home half of the inning, capitalizing on a throwing error to extend the frame. With one out on the board, a ground out to third pushed two runners into scoring position instead of ending the frame. The Broncos’ Teauna Hughes then drove a single up the middle to score both runners and give Boise State the 2-1 lead.

The Broncos looked to put together another rally in the second inning, getting two runners on with two outs. Virginia turned to the bullpen in response, calling on Osherow to squelch the rally. Boise State got a single up the middle, bringing a run home before the Cavaliers would get out of the inning down 3-1.

Kaitlin Fitzgerald (Placentia, Calif.) powered the Cavaliers back in the lead in the third inning, belting out a three-run home run down the left field line. Aimee Chapdelaine (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and Hughes scored on the play after reaching on a walk and a bunt single, respectively. Virginia led 4-3 after the top of the third.

A two-error play in the bottom of the third put the leadoff batter in scoring position as a fielding error and a throwing error on a ground ball to third started the inning. Osherow then responded with three consecutive strikeouts to end the threat and maintain the Virginia lead.

A third home run came to start the fourth inning when Madison Labshere (El Cajon, Calif.) hit a solo shot to left to take the Virginia lead out to 5-3. Boise State would retire the next two batters before the Cavaliers would then put together a two-out rally. Five walks, an RBI single from Fitzgerald and a wild pitch in the next seven batters helped Virginia take the lead out to 9-3. Osherow then delivered a two-RBI single through the right side capped the rally at 11-3.

Boise State cut into the lead in the home half of the fourth with a single run, but the Cavaliers got it back in the top of the fifth when Tia Mitchell (Clarksburg, Md.) hit a solo home run in her first career at bat.

Virginia returns to action with back-to-back games Friday (Feb. 12), starting with a 4 p.m. ET showdown against Northwestern. The Cavaliers close the double dip with East Carolina.