Looking to avenge a heartbreaking loss in the final game of its last series, the No. 18 Virginia baseball team came into a midweek season with a chip on its shoulder. The Cavaliers (23-8, 5-7 ACC) came out bats-blazing this week, picking up two double-digit victories against each Old Dominion (22-7, 7-2 C-USA) and George Washington (13-16, 2-3 Atlantic 10) at Davenport Field.
In the first game, Virginia wasted no time jumping on the Old Dominion pitching staff as the Cavaliers delivered their most dominant offensive performance of the season. The Monarchs would get on the board with a homer in the top of the first, but the Cavaliers quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning with two RBI singles to take the lead. After Old Dominion tied the game in the second, the floodgates opened for Virginia. The Cavaliers scored four runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of junior outfielder Adam Haseley, his ninth of the season.
From the third inning on, it was the Pavin Smith show. The junior outfielder blasted a grand slam in the third inning — his second in three games — to put the Cavaliers up nine runs. Smith then homered again in the bottom of the fifth inning — a two-run shot — to put Virginia up 16-3. The homer gave Smith seven RBIs on the day — a career high — and his second homer put him at a team-leading 10 for the year. The seven RBIs were also the most by a Virginia player in a game since Kenny Towns had eight in a game in 2013.
The Cavaliers capped off its offensive outburst when sophomore outfielder Cameron Simmons hit a pinch-hit, two-run blast — Virginia’s fifth homer of the game. In total, Virginia scored 18 runs on 18 hits against the Monarchs, with seven different Cavaliers batting in runs. The offensive clinic put on by Virginia was more than the team could have hoped for after it struggled in the final game against Louisville Sunday.
"It's a really big win for us, coming off a difficult loss on Sunday," Coach Brian O’Connor said. "We certainly didn't expect that. Old Dominion has 22 wins and has been playing very good baseball. I thought our guys came out locked in offensively.
Virginia’s pitching staff held the fort down as the offense went to work. The best performance on the mound came from junior reliever Riley Wilson, who fired 3.2 inning of one-run relief while striking out six batters. Old Dominion never had a shot at coming back after the first two innings, as Virginia picked up and impressive 18-5 victory.
Virginia’s bats did not cool off in the Cavaliers’ second game of the week against George Washington. Smith got his team going with a two-run single in the first inning as part of a three-run first frame. Virginia would score at least one run in each of the first four innings, including a sac fly by Smith in the fourth — his 10th RBI in the two game set. Junior shortstop Ernie Clement would add a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his second of the season. Virginia tallied 15 hits in the game, three of which came off the bat of sophomore second baseman Andy Weber.
On the mound, meanwhile, starter Daniel Lynch was lights out. The sophomore pitched six shutout innings, striking out two and walking none en route to his fifth win of the season. Sophomore Evan Sperling relieved Lynch out of the bullpen, striking out the side in the seventh inning. The back end of the bullpen allowed only one run, locking up an 11-1 win for Virginia and a sweep of the midweek series.
Virginia dominated both sides of the ball in two blowout wins this week, outscoring its opponents 29-6 on the strength of 33 hits. Many different Cavaliers got involved in the offensive outburst, while the bullpen stayed consistent as it has been all season. Lynch twirled a gem after struggling in his last few starts to help his case in keeping a rotation spot.
The Cavaliers will continue their long home stand with another ACC series when Pittsburgh comes to Davenport Field this weekend. The first game between the Cavaliers and Panthers is set for Friday at 6 p.m.
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