While it is undeniable that ACC play always poses a challenge, it has grown clear that in-state play is key to keeping the season moving for the Virginia baseball team (15-9). The Cavaliers are coming off a triumphant weekend on the road in which they swept a three game series at Duke (6-4, 8-3 and 9-5), but they will resume play in the Old Dominion this afternoon, taking on another local foe when they face Virginia Commonwealth University (15-10) in Richmond.
This afternoon's contest is the second time the two clubs will face off this spring. The February game in which the Cavaliers fell, 13-7 in Charlottesville, definitely belonged to the Rams. While both teams came out on a level plane, after several innings VCU ran away with the game, leaving the Cavaliers with a definitive loss. Although Virginia will hope for better results this time around, they are out more to better their own season than to seek revenge.
"The season's way too long for revenge," senior third baseman/pitcher Dan Street said. "It's just another game we have to go out and win."
And now that the Cavaliers are further along in the season, perhaps they have developed the consistency and fluidity they will need to keep winning games. While the Virginia squad realizes room for improvement exists in their game, they certainly are experiencing an upward trend.
"We're playing pretty well," coach Dennis Womack said. "We're doing some things, from a pitching standpoint, very well."
This ability to keep a strong arm on the mound will prove key to the Cavaliers' game, because the Rams boast a strong lineup and have been hitting well all season. This also will mean that Virginia must stay alert defensively. Womack and his squad recognize that this area was a weakness when they faced the Blue Devils and something that they cannot afford to let VCU exploit.
If the Cavaliers can step up their defensive efforts to prevent the Rams from running away, players like Street, junior first baseman Robert Word and senior outfielder David Stone should be able to lay the groundwork for a solid Virginia offense. A victory this afternoon would heighten Virginia's regional standings, but it would also give them much-needed momentum for this weekend, when they will host ACC leader, North Carolina for a series in Charlottesville.
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