Home Softball: Virginia blanks #11 Clemson, 3-0, to take weekend series from Tigers
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Softball: Virginia blanks #11 Clemson, 3-0, to take weekend series from Tigers

Chris Graham
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Virginia wrapped one of the more successful weekends in program history with a 3-0 win over #11 Clemson, to take the weekend series at Palmer Park.

Madi Harris (6-1, 0.53 ERA) threw five scoreless innings of relief in the win, striking out four, walking two and allowing three hits.

The series win is the first for Virginia (20-10, 7-5 ACC) over Clemson (22-9, 6-3 ACC) in program history.

“We met today to talk about throwing punches for 21 outs, having intent and being really focused. I don’t think anyone except us expected we would win a game, much less the series. I’m really proud of our belief, grit and fight,” UVA coach Joanna Hardin said after the game.

Virginia got on the board first in the bottom of the second. Kelsey Hackett, on second with two outs, hustled home on a slow-roll infield single off the bat of Kelly Ayer.

Jade Hylton’s two-run shot in the fifth inning took the lead out to 3-0 in favor of the ‘Hoos.

The lead would hold as Harris and the defense would lock things down in the seventh, retiring the side in order with an emphatic strikeout of the last batter to end the game and clinch the series.

Harris had also recorded the win in relief in Friday’s series opener, putting in four and a third scoreless innings in the 6-4 win.

“Madi Harris came up huge for the whole weekend and really kept them at bay all day today,” Hardin said. “It’s someone different every day. You never know who will get the big hit or have their big moment. That’s what makes this team special. Everyone is ready to go and hungry. There’s a deep belief in who we are and what we’re capable of being. I’m proud of the team for sticking through it and fighting through the weekend.”

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].