The Virginia baseball team (8-7, 1-2 ACC) lost two of three games in a weekend series at home against Duke (11-5, 2-1 ACC) in the first games of conference play for the Cavaliers.
Game 1: Virginia - 11, Duke - 3
The Cavaliers, who never trailed throughout the game, scored six runs in the fourth inning to take down the Blue Devils.
Virginia took a 1-0 advantage in the first inning on an RBI double by sophomore shortstop Tanner Morris, driving in freshman third baseman Zack Gelof. Sophomore designated hitter Brendan Rivoli scored on a wild pitch in the third, doubling the Cavaliers’ lead.
Duke scored a run in the top of the fourth, but Virginia loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the frame. Senior center fielder Cameron Simmons hit an RBI single to drive in two runs, followed up by a single from sophomore right fielder Alex Tappen and a double from junior catcher Logan Michaels. The Cavaliers ended the inning up 8-1.
The win went to junior right-handed reliever Paul Kosanovich, his second of the season. Kosanovich went 2.1 innings, giving up two hits and a run.
Freshman second baseman Nic Kent posted his third-straight multi-hit game, going 3 for 5 and scoring three runs and driving in another.
Game 2: Duke - 2, Virginia - 1
The two teams played a doubleheader Sunday due to Saturday’s inclement weather, and the Blue Devils prevailed in Sunday’s opener.
Virginia’s starting pitcher, sophomore right-hander Griff McGarry, gave up two runs in seven innings of work, but his Duke counterpart, sophomore right-hander Bryce Jarvis, surrendered only one.
Duke scored a run in the first and a run in the second to go ahead 2-0. The Cavaliers scored their only run in the fourth, as Michaels doubled and senior first baseman Nate Eikhoff scored on an error by Duke freshman left fielder RJ Schreck.
Rivoli went 2 for 5 for Virginia, the only Cavalier with multiple hits.
Game 3: Duke - 8, Virginia - 6
Duke edged Virginia behind three home runs in the second game Sunday to claim the series.
Chris Crabtree, the Blue Devils’ sophomore first baseman, hit a leadoff homer off Virginia freshman right-hander Mike Vasil, putting his team ahead 1-0. Junior third baseman Matt Mervis hit another home run for Duke in the fourth, a two-run shot that gave the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead.
Duke scored another run in the fifth and Virginia added one back, as Gelof scored on a passed ball. Freshman designated hitter Rudy Maxwell hit a grand slam in the seventh to make the game 8-1.
Virginia rallied in their half of the seventh, scoring four runs. The first two runs came courtesy of an error by Crabtree, and junior left fielder Cayman Richardson and senior pinch hitter Jack Weiller each had RBIs in the frame.
An RBI single by Tappen in the bottom of the eighth made it 8-6, but Virginia was not able to score two more runs in the ninth.
Virginia will next play Liberty Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Liberty Baseball Stadium.
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