Esparza Goes Yard as Pitt Drops Contest at No. 18 Virginia

Saturday, March 28

2 PM

Pitt

17-15, 17-15

Virginia

30-3, 8-2

Pittsburgh

Virginia

Esparza Goes Yard as Pitt Drops Contest at No. 18 Virginia

3/28/2026 4:27:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Pitt dropped the second game of the series at No. 18 Virginia, 8-1, Saturday afternoon at Palmer Park.

Tieley Vaughn drew a leadoff walk to open the game, but Virginia quickly shut down the early threat with a strikeout and a caught stealing for two quick outs, and then followed with a strikeout to end the inning.

Virginia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on five walks and a hit to bring nine batters to the plate. Jade Hylton scored the first run on a single from Macee Eaton. Pitt starter Bekah Duck limited further damage with back-to-back strikeouts before a flyout ended the inning.

Duck settled in after the first, retiring the Cavaliers in order in the second inning and helping Pitt and Virginia trade scoreless frames through the middle innings. She held Virginia to just one hit through the first four innings and faced the minimum across the second, third and fourth.

Pitt broke through in the top of the fourth when KK Esparza launched a solo home run to deep left field, cutting the deficit to 3-1.

Virginia responded in the bottom of the fifth, stringing together timely hits to plate three runs and extend its lead to 6-1. Eaton delivered an RBI single, while Kelsey Hackett added a run-scoring double and a sacrifice fly capped the inning.

The Panthers threatened in the sixth with runners on the corners, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance. Virginia added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning, using a double from Hylton and a groundout to push the lead to 8–1.

Pitt and Virginia wrap up the series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for noon.