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Virginia Softball’s Historic Season Ends in Regional Final Loss to Tennessee
The 2024 Virginia softball season came to an end on Sunday in Knoxville, as the Cavaliers were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament with a 6-0 loss to No. 3 overall seed Tennessee in the regional final.
Tennessee thoroughly outmatched Virginia in a Saturday afternoon matchup when the Lady Vols won 12-0 in five innings. In the rematch in the regional final, the Cavaliers looked to play closer to the SEC regular season champions.
While the offense struggled in the game, the UVA pitching staff pitched more competitively in game two, and the Hoos lost 6-0.
Eden Bigham pitched two complete games in two days, but she got the ball in the circle to start game three. Bigham struggled with her command early in the first inning, with a walk and a hit batter in the first three batters.
After a passed ball put runners on second and third with one out, Bigham got a strikeout for the second out. However, Rylie West hit a two-run single on the first pitch she saw to give Tennessee a 2-0 lead.
Tennessee’s pitcher Karlyn Pickens pitches in the low to mid 70s, a velocity that the Cavaliers haven’t seen often. All three Virginia batters put the ball in play in the first inning, but didn’t make powerful contact.
In the top of the second, Bigham retired the side in order. However, Karlyn Pickens had a quick inning of her own, only needing eight pitches.
The Lady Vols got the best of Bigham in the top of the third inning. After a walk and a bloop single, Zaida Puni had an RBI single. Rylie West came up clutch right after, hitting a two-run double and doubling her RBI count. Madi Harris entered the game after the score was 5-0, and she retired two batters to end the inning.
Harris worked around a walk in the top of the fourth to keep Tennessee at five runs. Abby Weaver had a highlight reel play with two outs, as she charged in and laid out to make a nice catch in right field.
Abby Weaver was also Virginia’s first baserunner in the bottom of the fourth, as she worked a walk. The Hoos were still hitless through four innings.
Rylie West continued her hot streak with a solo home run in the top of the sixth. West had three hits and five RBI as the offensive MVP for Tennessee.
Shelby Barbee broke up the no hitter in the fifth inning with a single, but Pickens got two strikeouts to make sure Virginia didn’t score. Leah Boggs added a hit of her own in the sixth, but the Tennessee defense got three ground balls.
Madi Harris continued her solid pitching campaign through the end of the game. Harris finished with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing four hits and just one run. Harris’s great pitching kept the score close, despite the lacking offense.
With two outs in the seventh inning, Joanna Hardin subbed out her seniors to a standing ovation from the fans.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sarah Coon got on base when she was hit by a pitch, but that was all Virginia could muster. Tennessee will advance to the Super Regionals.
Virginia finishes the season at 34-20, and 15-9 in the ACC. Joanna Hardin has led her team to steady improvement over the past few years. The Cavaliers won 30 games last year but weren’t selected to make the tournament.
This year, UVA made its second ever NCAA tournament appearance, and got its second and third wins in program history. Thanks to the two shutouts of Miami of Ohio, Virginia made it to a Regional Final for the first time ever. By making it to Sunday, the Hoos are in the top 32 teams, a very impressive finish.
Seniors Abby Weaver, Lauren VanAssche, Madi Harris, Mikayla Houge, Savanah Henley, and Leah Boggs depart having been a major part of the turnaround for Virginia softball. They will be missed, but there is a ton of talent still on the roster for next season and the future is bright.
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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