FARMVILLE, Va. — No. 18/21 Virginia slugged five home runs on its way to a 7-1 victory over the Longwood softball team at Bank of the James Park on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers (13-1) received two homers from Bella Cabral and one each by Macee Eaton, Kelsey Hackett and a Hannah Weismer pinch-hit blast.
All eight runs in the game came via the home run as Longwood sophomore Brooke Masingale countered with a pinch-hit bomb of her own in the bottom of the seventh, poking one out down the line in left field to account for the final.
"When you play top teams they expose mistakes and require adjustments," Longwood head coach Dr. Megan Brown said. 'Today was a good lesson in the importance of making quick adjustments. These are lessons that great teams learn this time of year and can be the difference in how your season unfolds."
Virginia jumped on Longwood left-hander Cierra Gawryluk in the bottom of the first with the first of Cabral's two two-run blasts to left field. Cabral came up in the third and did it again, this time off of KK Byas. Hackett followed with a solo shot down the left-field line just two pitches later to make it 5-0.
Eaton homered to lead off the fifth inning against Morgan Strickland before Weismar hit for Kassidy Hudson and hit it out for a 7-0 score in the top of the seventh.
Masingale, who had two jacks in just five at-bats last year at East Carolina, hit her first at Longwood off of Taylor Smith.
UVA's Julia Cuozzo went five innings, scattering two hits and one walk while striking out seven in the circle to improve to 2-1.
Gawryluk took the loss for the Lancers, falling to 1-3. She lasted two innings, giving up two hits, two runs, and a walk. She fanned one.
Byas, making her collegiate debut, recorded two outs before Strickland finished it out.Â
Sophia Knock, Maggie Hiatt and Lauren Faulkner secured the other three hits for Longwood — all singles — on the day.
Longwood (2-12) continues its busy week hosting the Bank of the James Invitational Friday-Sunday. The Lancers welcome Hampton, Mount St. Mary's, Penn and Youngstown State for six games. LU opens the event against Youngstown State at 10 a.m., on Friday.
