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24 CAVALIER CORNER BY BILL BUNTING W hen the 2023 season opened for the Virginia softball team, it fea- tured optimism, youthful energy and excitement for the future. The Cavaliers were coming off the most successful season in a decade and look- ing to build on the momentum of the 2022 campaign. A veteran crew returned that in- cluded three all-region players and a mem- ber of the ACC All-Freshman team. Added to the mix was a group of players that comprised the No. 15 recruiting class in the nation according to Extra Inning Softball. Two of those incoming freshmen were right-handed pitcher Eden Bigham and infielder Jade Hylton. Bigham, who came to the Cavaliers from Rustburg, Va., was ranked as the No. 10 pitcher and No. 28 overall recruit nationally. Hylton, out of Martinsville, Va., was the No. 56 overall recruit. Their ability and being Virginia natives caught the attention of the Cavalier coaching staff early in the process. "One of our priorities has been to keep Virginia talent in Virginia and at the Uni- versity of Virginia," UVA head coach Joanna Hardin said. "It was clear they were talented enough to be impact players in the ACC. They played together, and it was great to track them during the summer months. "Jade's incredibly athletic, has great tools, can run and has tons of upside with her ath- leticism and ability. Eden's velocity was a big piece with how she pitches as is her com- petitiveness. She wants the ball in her hands. "As we got into the recruiting process, we found they were incredibly humble from great families — and when you recruit a player you are recruiting their family as well. It all worked well for who we are as a staff and a program and what we're trying to build. They fit everything we wanted." The Cavaliers opened the season on the road at Houston, and while the adjustment to college ball can be a process, both first-years announced their arrival right out of the gates. Bigham threw a no-hit shutout in the season opener against Lamar, striking out nine in the 5-0 victory. Hylton was retired in her first two at-bats but strode to the plate in the third and hammered a ball to left for a three-run home run for her first collegiate hit. Bigham would earn ACC Pitcher of the Week honors that week, the first of two weekly honors she would pick up this past season. The weekend was thrilling for the friends who played travel ball together and were ex- cited to see their success continue as part of the same team on the collegiate level. "I was a little bit nervous; I always go into games with a little bit of nerves, but I was excited," Bigham said of the opening perfor- mance. "It was an awesome feeling and so ex- citing because my team was so excited for me. "It didn't really put expectations on me, it just helped me calm down and let me know I could compete at this level. It helped me know the season would be fine. Everyone struggles at some point, but I knew I would be able to go out and compete." TORCHBEARERS TORCHBEARERS First-Years Jade Hylton And Eden Bigham Showed They Have What It Takes To Lead The Way For The UVA Softball Program Hylton led the Cavaliers with a .314 batting average, 33 runs scored and 26 RBI, plus tied for the team lead in home runs (10) and stolen bases (22), en route to ACC All-Freshman accolades. (Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA)