George Washington University
Virginia
Softball Set for Opener at Cavalier Classic
2/26/2021 2:00:00 PM | Softball
Buff and Blue to face Virginia & JMU
After having their first two scheduled weekends of play wiped out by inclement weather, the Buff and Blue are ready to finally make their spring debut vs. quality competition at Palmer Park in Charlottesville, Va.
GW is slated to play host Virginia (3 p.m.) and James Madison (5:30 p.m.) in a Saturday doubleheader before taking on another twin bill on Sunday vs. the Cavaliers, beginning at noon. The three games vs. UVA are set to be streamed live via ACC Network Extra.
COMEBACK TRAIL: After missing the 2020 season due to injury, Sierra Lange returns to the GW lineup aiming to pick where she left off during her tremendous sophomore campaign in which she finished among the national leaders in wins (31), strikeouts (246), batting average (.411), hits (85) and triples (six) en route to First Team All A-10 and NFCA All-Region honors.
Lange enters the spring with 46 career wins, four shy of Sarah Costlow's program record. She also ranks in the program's all-time top five in saves (four, T-1st), strikeouts (360, 2nd), complete games (42, 4th), innings pitched (410 1/3, 4th) and shutouts (seven, 5th).
IN FULL BLOOM:Â It's a rite of spring on the Mount Vernon Campus: Sidney Bloomfield will provide an offensive spark for the Buff and Blue. The speedy outfielder owns a .352 career batting average entering her senior season with 115 hits in 127 collegiate games. She finished second on the club during the abbreviated 2020 season in batting average (.333), hits (22) and steals (five), as well as third in runs scored (11).
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION:Â Virginia (3-4 overall) opened ACC play last weekend with five games in North Carolina, posting a 2-1 mark vs. Pittsburgh and dropping a pair to Louisville. Donna Friedman leads the Cavaliers offensively in the early going with a .391 batting average and four extra-base hits.
Virginia's roster features a familiar face in junior infielder Arizona Ritchie, who is the daughter of GW baseball Head Coach Gregg Ritchie.
Regularly the class of the CAA, James Madison received votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll ahead of its season debut. The Dukes had a pair of standouts selected to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List in Odicci Alexander and Kate Gordon.GW and James Madison are scheduled to meet again for a midweek doubleheader on March 31 in Harrisonburg, Va.
