Junior Jon Benick hit a solo home run in the ninth inning, but the Virginia baseball team could not complete the comeback and capture their first win of the season, falling short at Liberty, 6-5.
|
Benick's blast with one out brought the Cavs (0-5-1) within a run, but Flame righthander Kurt Reese retired the next two batters to preserve the Liberty victory.
The Flames (2-2) took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning when first baseman Jim Clinton tagged Virginia lefty Brandon Creswell for a three-run home run that gave Liberty a 4-3 advantage.
|
Cavalier center fielder Michael Floyd smacked an RBI single in the eighth to tie the game, but Liberty left fielder Trey Miller hit a home run in the bottom of the inning to give the Flames the lead. Four batters later, right fielder Steve Baker hit a sacrifice fly to score center fielder Keith Butler with what held up as the game-winning run.
Virginia junior Hunter Wyant, who began the game at third base and shifted to shortstop when Tim LaVigne moved to the pitcher's mound, went 3-for-5 with a double. Floyd and Benick each drove in a pair of runs.
Creswell (0-2) took the loss for the Cavs, while righthander Rich Harrell (2-0) picked up the win for Liberty.
The winless Cavs started their season two weeks ago with a three-game sweep at the hands of No. 4 Louisiana State. Virginia also tied Old Dominion Feb. 16 and lost to George Mason Tuesday.
Devilish champions
Few observers pegged Duke to repeat as ACC Champions after losing five key components of last year's juggernaut, but the No. 2 Blue Devils clinched the regular-season Conference title with a 96-78 victory against Wake Forest Tuesday night.
After cruising to the NCAA title game last season, Duke lost four players to the NBA - including three underclassmen - and saw power forward Chris Burgess transfer.
But Tuesday night, seniors Shane Battier and Chris Carrawell led Duke (22-3, 13-1 ACC) to its fourth consecutive Conference crown, joining the 1963-66 Devils as the only ACC teams to accomplish that streak.
Read More
Malik Washington selected 184th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins
By Xander Tilock | 19 hours agoWashington may have fallen down the draft board, but he will surely make a significant impact at the professional level.
At Virginia wushu, everybody is ‘Kung Fu Fighting’
By Xander Tilock | 20 hours agoA national powerhouse, Virginia wushu is both a top tier athletic club and a welcoming community.
Five Takeaways from Virginia’s Spring Game
By Peter Kriebel | YesterdayVirginia football is shaping up to make significant progress in 2024, led by an array of newcomers and promising underclassmen.
