Charlotte allowed three runs in the first inning and could not bounce back as the Niners were shutout by the Virginia Cavaliers 6-0 at home. The 49ers softball team (8-12, 1-2 C-USA) has now lost three games in a row.

Charlotte failed to record a hit through the first four innings but managed to get on base through walks and errors. The 49ers’ lone hit came in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs when Spenser Gray hit a triple that bounced off the back wall. With a chance to score the first run of the game for the Niners, the next batter struck out swinging, which ended the inning.

Virginia got off to a hot start in the first inning when Donna Friedman hit a three-run homerun. The Cavaliers continued to hit the ball well when Erika Osherow hit a double to lead off the fourth inning. The next batter, Kate Covington, hit a two-run homerun to extend the lead to 5-0. Virginia scored their sixth run of the game when Hayley Busby hit an RBI single in the sixth inning.

The Virginia pitchers combined to record 14 strikeouts on the game.

Even thought Charlotte only recorded one hit, the Niners managed to get on base often as they ended the night with seven runners left on base throughout the game.

Charlotte will return to action when the 49ers host the Marshall Thundering Herd for a three-game series that begins on Saturday, Mar. 16 at 1 p.m.