#16 Virginia capped a wild doubleheader day of softball on Saturday by scoring 11 runs in the final two innings of Game 2 to post a 19-14 win over North Carolina, earning a split of the twin-bill, and clinching the three-game weekend series.
UNC (19-3, 3-3 ACC) rallied for an 11-9 win over the ’Hoos (22-2, 2-1 ACC) in Game 1, on a walk-off three-run homer from Emily Legette, her third homer of the game.
Macee Eaton had two home runs for Virginia in the Game 1 loss.
Courtney Layne (8-1) took the loss in relief, allowing five runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
North Carolina stormed out in front in Game 2 with a five-run rally in the bottom of the first, and led 13-7 after four innings.
Virginia chipped away at the deficit, finally tying the game in the seventh with a two-run single from Jade Hylton, then bolting out in front in the eighth with a six-spot that was highlighted by a three-run homer from Alex Call.
Julia Cuozzo (3-1) picked up the win with 5.0 innings of relief work. She allowed one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Cuozzo entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth after two runs had already been pushed home on bases on balls.
“I saw a ton of grit, resilience and fight. This team is never out of it,” UVA coach Joanna Hardin said. “We pushed it into extra innings in Game 1, but came up short. We scored five in the seventh in Game 2 to send it to extra innings. We talk about getting the tying run to the plate in the last inning when you’re down. We’ve done that multiple times. I’m really proud of the effort and resilience I saw tonight. That’s what championship teams are made of.”
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Chris Graham
