Virginia defeated Liberty April 27 after posting six runs in the final three at-bats to complete the underdog victory. Against Virginia Tech that weekend, the Cavaliers (22-21, 13-17 ACC) won the bookend games but fell in the middle matchup. Finally, Virginia lost to VCU Tuesday after being up 5-0 at the end of the sixth inning.
Liberty game
The Cavaliers came from behind against Liberty (30-11, 14-1 Atlantic Sun) to win 6-5. The Flames plated all five of their runs in the second inning and Virginia kept coming up dry until the sixth, despite valiant efforts.
In the sixth, the Cavaliers scored courtesy of an RBI double from senior outfielder Brendan Rivoli. In the seventh, he also batted in the game-tying run after a two-RBI single that brought junior infielder Zack Gelof and sophomore infielder Max Cotier back around. Freshman catcher Kyle Teel broke the tie in the eighth inning with a solo homer and Liberty never came back.
Five Cavaliers took the mound during the matchup, with graduate right-hander Stephen Schoch being credited the win after stranding a few Flames on bases in the eighth.
Virginia Tech Series
In the first game against the Hokies (24-17, 16-14 ACC) last Friday, Virginia posted a whopping 18 runs across nine innings compared to Virginia Tech’s measly single run. This was the highest victory margin over the Hokies in the history of the series, which has lasted over a century.
Virginia Tech scored its only run in the fourth inning, and the Cavaliers proceeded to post their remaining 17 unanswered runs in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Virginia starting left-hander Andrew Abbott also had a quality start, playing seven innings and only allowing four hits and one run.
The middle game against these in-state foes would swing in favor of the Hokies, as they won the game 6-3. They were leading 6-0 at the end of the third inning and the Cavaliers attempted to mount a comeback, ultimately coming up short.
In the series rubber match last Sunday, Virginia won 6-1 over Virginia Tech. This win makes this series the fifth-straight that the Cavaliers would win over the Hokies. Sophomore left-hander Nate Savino represented Virginia for much of the game — pitching for seven innings and subsequently being given the win.
Virginia Tech opened up the scoring for this game, but the Cavaliers quickly came back and scored two runs — one from senior infielder Devin Ortiz and one from Teel. Rivoli scored Gelof and senior first-baseman Alex Tappen in the fifth, widening their teams’ victory margin. Two more runs were added in the seventh and eighth, respectively, to secure the win for Virginia.
VCU game
In the last non-conference game of their season, the Cavaliers faced VCU (28-14, 9-3 A-10) at home. Virginia had a 6-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning, but in true college baseball fashion, that did not secure the win. The Rams scored three runs in the seventh and four in the ninth to complete the comeback rally and win the game.
Following this frustrating loss, the Cavaliers will have a break for final exams before completing the rest of their season. They will play a three-game home series against Wake Forest beginning May 14. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX.
Read More
Virginia baseball drops two of three in home series with Georgia Tech
By Ryan Weiner | 19 hours agoThe Cavaliers dropped a crucial series, and will need to rebound quickly heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
Virginia track and field delivers strong performances at Virginia Challenge
By Tanmayi Patil | YesterdayThe Cavaliers displayed impressive performances across the board over the weekend.
No. 4 men’s lacrosse falls in “heroic” game against No. 7 Syracuse after fourth-quarter charge
By Cole Huff | YesterdayWhile Virginia failed to win, the game provided an excellent feel for what the NCAA Tournament will be like, preparing the team for May.
