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Virginia Softball Looks To Continue to Make History As Postseason Play Approaches
The 2023-2024 regular season campaign for the Virginia Cavaliers softball team wound up being far more impressive than outsiders initially predicted. The Hoos were slated to finish ninth out of 13 ACC teams, but instead finished fourth with a 32-17 record and a 15-9 record in the ACC, good for the team’s highest finish since 2010.
While the conference and non-conference schedules still had some blips, the Hoos won seven out of eight ACC series, including huge victories against Clemson and Duke, who were ranked eleventh and third at the time.
Clemson will get a rematch with Virginia on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2024 ACC Softball Tournament in Durham after the Cavaliers beat the Tigers twice in Charlottesville. In the March series that really ignited a run in the ACC, a bases loaded double from Bella Cabral helped Virginia storm back from a 4-0 deficit to take a 6-4 lead, and the Cavalier pitching staff did the rest. The defense was also impressive in a game three shutout, and Jade Hylton hit a late game home run to secure the 3-0 victory.
Madi Harris had a breakout series in the circle against Clemson, pitching 9.1 innings, earning two wins, and not giving up a single run. With that kind of performance, it’s possible that Virginia opts to give Harris the ball in the ACC quarterfinals, and we can see if she can once again stymie the Clemson offense.
In addition to Madi Harris in the circle, we will likely see UVA’s ace, Eden Bigham, who was honored as ACC pitcher of the week three times this season and she has pitched double the number of innings as the next pitcher (129.1 to 65.2 from Madi Harris). On Wednesday, Hylton was named to the All-ACC First Team.
Virginia’s offense struggled to produce runs early in the season, but it has improved significantly since then. Jade Hylton leads the way for Virginia in nearly every offensive category, including average (.342), runs (33), hits (53), doubles (12), home runs (12), on base percentage (.428), slugging percentage (.677), OPS (1.105), RBI (37), walks (24), and stolen bases (14). Hylton joined Bigham as Virginia’s two All-ACC First-Team selections.
Shelby Barbee has a hot bat after earning Co-ACC Player of the Week Honors for her Georgia Tech series where she went 6 for 9 with 7 RBI and three home runs. UVA is hoping that the week off between games doesn’t disrupt her streak. Another player to watch is freshman Bella Cabral, who has made clutch plays both on offense and at second base throughout the season. Cabral was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team, while Barbee was an All-ACC Third-Team selection.
On Clemson’s side, reigning National Player of the Year Valerie Cagle is always a threat in the circle and at the plate. She is hitting .364 with an OPS of 1.057. Teammates McKenzie Clark and Maddie Moore also have OPS metrics of above 1.000, which is an impressive threshold to cross.
Regan Spencer has pitched the most for Clemson this season and boasts a 2.00 ERA. While Spencer often relies on her defense to get outs behind her, Cagle and Millie Thompson are two pitchers who rely more on strikeouts. They have ERAs of 2.50 and 1.77, respectively.
Virginia is entering postseason play with back-to-back 30 win seasons. While Joanna Hardin has steadily improved her team in eight seasons at Virginia, that has yet to translate to postseason play. The Hoos have lost in the ACC quarterfinals each of the last two years, to No. 3 Florida State in 2022 and Syracuse in 2023. The Cavaliers qualified for the National Invitational Softball Championship in 2022 and managed one win, but the UVA softball postseason history is limited.
In fact, the only time UVA has made the NCAA tournament was in 2010. After receiving one vote in the top 25 poll this week, there is a good chance Virginia will hear its name called in the 64 team field on Selection Sunday to break the 14-year drought. However, there is work to be done before that point, and having a chance to win a conference championship is a significant opportunity to seize.
The Cavaliers will face the Clemson Tigers on Thursday at 1:30 pm (ACCN) in the ACC quarterfinals in Durham for a chance to advance to the ACC semifinals (Friday at 1pm) against the winner of Duke and Boston College/Syracuse.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.
That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.
“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”
The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.
But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.
“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”
On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.
“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.
The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.
Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.
Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.
Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.
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MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.
The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.
In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues
John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.
Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.
“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.
Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.
City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Five people were charged after Virginia Beach Police conducted a two-day human trafficking and vice operation on July 3, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
The department’s Special Investigations Bureau conducted the operation, which was aimed at identifiying human trafficking victims, reducing the demand for commercial sex and targeting individuals seeking to exploit or recruit children for prostitution.
Detectives used many investigative techniques to proactively identify individuals involved in criminal activity related to prostitution, human trafficking and offenses against children. The operation was conducted in Virginia Beach, involving personnel from all of the bureau’s squads.
As a result of the operation, five people were identified and charged with offenses ranging from solicitation of prostitution to sex trafficking and crimes involving minors. Two vehicles and U.S. currency were seized during the operation. Other people were connected to victim services through Samaritan House.
The operation led to the following people being charged:
- Shane Carter, 28, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
- Robert Harris, 64, of Virginia Beach, was charged with solicitation of prostitution and assault and battery.
- Larry Pittman, 53, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking and use of electronic devices to facilitaate certain offenses involving minors.
- Kenric Frazier, 46, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking, use of electronic devices to facilitate certain offenses involving minors and solicitation of child pornography.
- Cameron Lewis, 24, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
Investigators also developed leads about people who are suspected of trafficking and exploiting others for commercial sex. Those are now active and ongoing investigations. There may be more charges and arrests pending further investigation and consultation with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
If you’re a human trafficking victim or know someone who is, you can report it to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
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