FARMVILLE, Va. — Virginia's Bella Cabral hit two home runs and Jade Hylton hit another as Virginia spoiled the Longwood softball team's home opener Tuesday afternoon at Lancer Field, winning 4-1.
Hilton and Cabral put the Cavaliers (14-5) up, 2-0, just five pitches into the game with consecutive homers to left field off of right-hander Er'ron Burton, and Cabral added a her second of the day to left-center field with one out in the seventh inning for the final margin.
"Good growing game, good learning game. Saw a lot of positives," said Longwood head coach Dr. Megan Brown. "This is the time of year where we want to find our weaknesses and have opportunities to continue to grow, building for what will be a tough Big South Slate coming in a couple of weeks."
In between Longwood (6-12) scratched a run across in the bottom of the fifth as Lauren Taylor was hit by a Savannah Henley pitch and stole second. With one out, a ground ball off the bat of Avery Miller was bobbled at third, moving Taylor to third. Avery Drake followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop.
Burton (0-5) took the loss in 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk. Freshman lefty Cierra Gawryluk entered in the third and through three scoreless innings, scattering two hits with a one strikeout. Sophomore Maggie Chapin recorded the final five outs in the circle.
Korynna Anderson (second-inning single through the right side) and Lauren Fox (fifth inning single to the pitcher) collected the Lancers' two hits. Henley improved to 3-0 on the year, fanning five and walking another in 83 pitches.
Cabral finished 2-for-4, while Macee Eaton was 2-for-4, leading Virginia.
The Lancers return to action Friday at the Tiger Invitational at Clemson's McWhorter Stadium to play Fordham and Minnesota at 10:30 a.m., and 3:30 p.m, respectively.
