Regional Opener Escapes Hoosiers

Friday, May 15

Knoxville, Tenn.

8:00 PM

Indiana University

42-14

Virginia

39-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Indiana	3	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	7	5	1
Virginia	0	3	0	2	0	2	0	1	8	8	3

5/15/2026 11:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ––– It was back-and-forth in the opening round of the NCAA Knoxville Regional on Friday (May 15) as No. 25 Virginia walked off the Indiana softball program in the eighth inning, 8-7, inside Sherri Parker Lee Stadium on Friday (May 15) night.

Indiana (42-15) took the early lead in the game, but Virginia (39-13) tied the game on three separate occasions, 3-3, 5-5 and 7-7. The Cavaliers then took their only lead of the game with the walk-off RBI single with two outs in the eighth inning.

The Hoosiers will face Northern Kentucky in an elimination game starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. With a win over NKU, the Hoosiers would play a second game at 8 p.m. against the loser of the winners bracket game between Tennessee and Virginia (3 p.m.)

REGIONAL GAME 1: VIRGINIA 8, INDIANA 7 (8 innings)

KEY MOMENTS
• Indiana got off to a quick start with three runs in the opening frame. After Alex Cooper walked with one out, Avery Parker followed with a two-run home run to straight-away center field. With two outs, Madalyn Strader reached on an error, stole second base and a pair of errors allowed her to score.
• A three-run second inning tied the game for Virginia as Jade Hylton hit a three-run home run to right field with two outs.
• Parker started the third inning with a hit-by-pitch before a pair of quick ground outs. Ellie Goins followed with a home run to center field to make it 5-3.
• A pair of fourth-inning solo home runs pulled Virginia even the score at five-all.
• Goins posted just the second multi-home run game in IU's NCAA Tournament history with a two-run shot in the fifth inning to push IU back into the lead, 7-5.
• The Cavaliers answered again with two runs in the sixth inning thanks to a bases loaded walk and an RBI ground out.
• After Indiana left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Virginia put runners on first and second with two outs in the top half of the frame. A single up the middle looked to score the game-winning run, but a perfect throw from Goins in center field and a nice tag by Parker sent the game to extra innings.
• A leadoff walk came around to score in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Reagan Hickey two-out single to right-center field. Goins crashed into the walk trying to make the leaping catch at the wall, but with the runner going on contact, the winning run crossed the plate.

NOTABLES
• IU is now 2-2 all-time against Virginia with wins in 2001 & 2019 and losses in 1995 and 2026.
• The meeting with NKU will be the first in program history.
• Ellie Goins first-career multi-home run game joined Taylor Minnick (2; Oklahoma State, 5/16/25) as the only multi-home run contests in Indiana's NCAA Tournament history.
• Her four RBIs are also at least tied for the most in an NCAA Tournament game, as no Hoosier has ever had five RBIs in an NCAA postseason contest.
• With her throw to home plate in the seventh inning to cut down a run, Goins produced just her second outfield assist of the season. She now has five career outfield assists, with three coming over three seasons at NC State.
• Alex Cooper extended her reached base streak to 19-game with a walk. She also scored one run.
• Avery Parker reached base three times in the game. She hit her 54th career home run in the first inning and was hit-by-pitch twice in the game.
• The home run from Parker was the 20th of the season.
• Parker has reached base safely in 51 of 57 games in 2026.
• Aly VanBrandt reached base via walk and has reached base safely in 53 of 57 games this season.

UP NEXT
The Hoosiers will face Northern Kentucky in an elimination game starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. With a win over NKU, the Hoosiers would play a second game at 8 p.m. against the loser of the winners bracket game between Tennessee and Virginia (3 p.m.)