The No. 22 Virginia baseball team defeated James Madison 3-2 at home on Wednesday. Freshman shortstop Tanner Morris hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game for the Cavaliers.
Sophomore right-hander Bobby Nicholson was the starting pitcher for Virginia, going six innings and surrendering only one run on five hits. James Madison redshirt sophomore catcher Zach Tondi drove in the only run given up by Nicholson on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning.
Freshman right fielder Alex Tappen opened the scoring for Virginia, earning his eighth RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth inning, scoring senior designated hitter Caleb Knight.
Tondi then drove in another run for James Madison with a two-out double off of freshman lefthander Andrew Abbott in the top of the eighth inning to give the Dukes a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, however, junior first baseman Nate Eikhoff pulled off a successful safety squeeze bunt that scored junior third baseman Andy Weber, tying the game at two apiece going into the ninth inning.
The Dukes had two runners on base against redshirt senior right-hander Mack Meyer in the top of the ninth, before senior right-hander Bennett Sousa came in to replace him and kept the game tied with a two-out strikeout.
Virginia loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, before Morris hit the walk-off sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Tappen from third base.
The Cavaliers next play in a three-game series at home this weekend against Boston College. Game one begins at Davenport Field at Disharoon Park at 4 p.m. Friday.
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