After receiving a bit of criticism and perhaps facing postseason punishment for playing a relatively weak non-conference schedule a year ago, Virginia coach Brian O'Connor scheduled few - if any - cupcakes for the 2010 campaign. His team began the season on the road against then-No. 11 East Carolina and later hosted two 2009 NCAA Regional teams, Wright State and Dartmouth.
Tonight, the No. 2 Cavaliers (27-7, 10-5 ACC) will head to Lexington to face another strong midweek opponent, No. 26 VMI. The Keydets (28-5, 10-2 Big South) recently secured their highest-ever ranking in program history with a series sweep of Gardner-Webb this past weekend and a 3-2 midweek victory against James Madison, which Virginia defeated twice this season. In total, VMI enters tonight's contest riding an eight-game win streak, with its last loss coming against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg March 30.
"We went down there a couple years ago, and their entire stadium was full of Keydets - it was an exciting environment," O'Connor said. "We expect Wednesday night to be no different. It's a smaller ballpark, so you gotta do the job on the mound, so it'll be a great challenge for us."
The shorter distance to the outfield wall has probably contributed to VMI's gaudy offensive statistics, as the Keydets have already belted 59 home runs on the season, which more than doubles Virginia's output and ranks first in the Big South Conference.
The Cavaliers became quite familiar with the power of the long ball this past weekend when they took two of three against then-No. 2 Georgia Tech, which leads the ACC with 70 home runs. Although the Virginia pitching staff surrendered five homers against the Yellow Jackets during the series, the Cavaliers had a strong showing at the plate as well, sending three over the deep left and right field walls. Virginia's ability to match its opponent's style of play may prove crucial against the Keydets.
Indeed, though the Cavaliers are just beginning to round the bases with regularity, they have posted impressive offensive numbers all season long. Like VMI, Virginia sits atop its conference in batting average, with junior second baseman Phil Gosselin leading the league in hits with 53. But although Gosselin has been a constant force for Virginia in the leadoff spot, junior center fielder Jarrett Parker, a 2009 All-American, has just begun to emerge. After hitting .355 a season ago and setting three single-season Virginia records in runs, hits and total bases, Parker began to hit his stride against Georgia Tech.
O'Connor tinkered with the lineup during the weekend, moving Parker from his normal spot at fifth in the order to seventh. With the switch, Virginia's defensive stud went 4-for-10 with three RBIs against the Yellow Jackets, including a mammoth shot off the center field wall for a triple in Saturday's game. His strong weekend performance improved his batting average to .313.
"I kind of started the season thinking that everybody's gunning for me, they're gonna not pitch me anything," Parker said. "For a while, they did, and it took me a while to adjust to it, but now I'm just trying not to worry about it and just hit."
Meanwhile, both VMI and Virginia rank second in their respective conferences in team ERA. O'Connor likely will turn to sophomore pitcher Will Roberts, who has been the Cavaliers' primary midweek starter and has posted a 3-0 record with a 4.01 ERA thus far. A poor outing against James Madison last week, however, during which the right-hander lasted a mere 0.1 innings while allowing one hit, two walks and one run, may push O'Connor in a different direction. Other potential starters are freshmen Whit Mayberry, who earned his first win in his first career start against Radford last week, and Branden Kline, who has started three games for the Cavaliers and shined out of the bullpen of late. Kline pitched four outstanding innings of relief during Virginia's 9-7 loss against Georgia Tech Saturday, allowing zero earned runs and only three hits while fanning three.
Whoever gets the nod will need to temper the potent Keydet lineup if Virginia is to carry its momentum from last weekend's series win into an upcoming three-game set against No. 26 Virginia Tech. O'Connor is aware that his team's task is anything but easy, as VMI holds a 10-2 record at home.
"They're probably looking at a Virginia coming down there and this is a chance for them to get a marquee win," O'Connor said.
The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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