Bella Cabral hit her sixth home run in seven games in a 7-0 Virginia win over Bucknell in the first of two on Sunday, and then the ‘Hoos walked off Michigan, 5-4, in the finale of the Party at the Palmer Invitational.
Virginia (19-1) has now won 19 straight games.
“We asked so much of this team with six games in the last four days. It’s a lot physically, emotionally and mentally. We’re really proud of how they handled the whole week and finished the weekend,” UVA coach Joanna Hardin said.
Ava Hodges (1-0) picked up the win in the opener, allowing two hits with two walks and two strikeouts through 4.0 innings of work.
Cabral hit a two-run homer in the fourth, her eighth home run of the season, in the dub.
In the nightcap, the ‘Hoos had to rally from a 4-1 deficit in the bottom of the seventh, on a two-run single from Macee Eaton, a game-tying two out walk to Reagan Hickey, and a bloop single to left off the bat of freshman Hannah Weismer to bring home the winning run.
Courtney Layne (7-0) picked up the win in relief, working 4.0 scoreless out of the pen and limiting the Wolverines to two hits while striking out four. She did not walk a batter.
“Michigan is a great team. We’ve played some gritty softball, and that’s a gritty win,” Hardin said. “It took everyone to get it done. I’m proud of the pitching effort giving us a chance and keeping us in that ballgame.”
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Chris Graham
