The Virginia baseball team looks to continue its season’s impressive start as it takes on Florida State for a three-game series at home this weekend.
The Cavaliers (14-0, 3-0 ACC) are off to one of their best starts in program history. Virginia and Georgia are the only undefeated teams in Division I baseball thus far.
While Florida State began the season ranked No. 6 in the national polls, the Seminoles have hit a rough patch of late. After winning the first six games of their season, the Seminoles have gone 3-5, including dropping two of three games to Boston College last weekend — the first time in the Seminoles’ 18-year program history that the squad lost its conference season opening series.
The Cavaliers picked up two wins this week against Navy and VMI with a combined score of 27-4. Virginia coach Brian O’Connor pitched by committee Wednesday against VMI, starting with sophomore pitcher Tyler Wilson, who threw two innings in his first career start.
“I decided to start Tyler Wilson,” O’Connor said. “He hadn’t started all year but I knew that we were just gonna limit him to 2 innings, we were just gonna chop up the game with our relievers. You’re always concerned when you do that, if it’s gonna be a low run game, you’re nervous that someone might go out there and not have good stuff on that day.”
Virginia will start freshman Danny Hultzen Friday. Hultzen has compiled a 3-0 record and leads Cavalier starters with a 0.95 ERA. Hultzen came to the Cavaliers after dominating at St. Albans High School. He was named First Team All-American during his senior year after posting his second consecutive season with an ERA under 1.00. Hultzen spurned an offer from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had drafted him in the 10th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, to come to Virginia.
Senior Andrew Carraway and freshman Will Roberts will start Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Both pitchers boast an ERA less than 2.50.
Florida State’s pitching staff is remarkably top-heavy, led by ace freshman Sean Gilmartin, who boasts a 3-0 record and 2.14 ERA. The weekend’s other two starters — freshman Brian Busch and sophomore Mike McGee — have had some difficulties, posting a combined 1-2 record and 3.96 ERA.
Offensively, the Cavaliers have made the most of their at-bats, compiling a .474 team on-base percentage, led by sophomore outfielder Jarrett Parker’s .551 mark. While no player has emerged as a huge power threat, Parker and junior catcher Franco Valdes — who splits time with freshman John Hicks behind the plate — lead the team with three home runs and both have slugging percentages greater than .800.
The toughest out for Virginia pitchers will be sophomore outfielder Tyler Holt. The Gainesville, Fla., product leads his team with a .474 batting average.
Though the Seminoles have several hitters who can set the table, they will need increased production from the bottom half of their lineup to compete with Virginia. Florida State’s bottom two hitters, junior infielder Stephen Cardullo and senior infielderc Tommy Oravetz, have combined for only five runs batted in.
Although the Cavaliers are fairly confident they will come out on top, the team is not taking the Seminoles lightly. In a conference as competitive as the ACC, every game is important.
“It’s exciting, I mean, the ACC, that’s why you play,” sophomore utility player Dan Grovatt said. “To play the Florida States and the UNCs and all that stuff, we’re gonna come out here and we’re gonna compete just like we have been in the last 14 games, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Read More
Cavaliers collapse, lose 3-2 in walkoff to North Carolina
By Xander Tilock | YesterdayVirginia will head to the loser's bracket Sunday after a disappointing loss to North Carolina.
Gertrude out for season after scooter accident
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayThe hype around his second season will have to wait.
Tony Bennett’s contract extended to 2030
By Xander Tilock | 2 days agoWith the legendary coach secured in Charlottesville, the Cavaliers can focus on returning to a standard of postseason success.
