The sun was high and temperatures approached the low eighties as a mass of fans entered the gates of Davenport Field at Disharoon Park. The temperature was not the only thing that was high, as No. 9 Virginia baseball felt the pressure in their first ACC series-deciding match against No. 24 Wake Forest.
Although the Cavaliers (20-5, 6-3 ACC) lost Saturday against the Demon Deacons (17-7, 4-5 ACC) 13-4, Virginia ultimately triumphed, taking the win in the Sunday rubber match 14-4.
Despite the polarized final score, the game began slowly. Neither team recorded a hit through the first two innings, with the only person on base being Wake Forest’s sophomore infielder Luke Costello on a hit by pitch.
Although freshman pitcher John Paone recorded outs for the first two batters in the third frame, junior outfielder Javar Williams reached base on a walk. The call from the umpire that allowed the walk drew boos from the crowd.
The Williams walk was the first of five consecutive Demon Deacon batters to reach base, scoring three runs before the side was retired. The Cavalier offense, held hitless to that point, awakened from its slumber with a single from junior catcher Jake Weatherspoon. Three more Virginia hits brought two home, narrowing the gap to 3-2 at the end of the third inning.
Two Wake Forest hits in the fourth inning were enough to add another run and to put the Cavaliers down by two. That brought in freshman Noah Yoder on the mound, who induced two quick outs to stop the bleeding.
With the team feeling more pressure, Virginia was forced to get something going. A spark arrived in the form of a nine-pitch walk from senior outfielder Harrison Didawick, which drove the Demon Deacon starter out of the game. Perhaps feeling less pressure with the starting pitcher removed, the Cavaliers advanced on the basepaths with a walk and a balk.
Junior designated hitter Kyle Johnson cashed those runners in on a home run to left field, putting Virginia in front 5-4. Weatherspoon singled in the following at-bat and junior infielder Eric Becker drove him all the way home on a triple to deep right field. Junior infielder Joe Tiroly would single to push Becker home before the big inning for the Cavaliers concluded with Virginia up 7-4.
“I think we had an awesome response after they scored three in the top of the third,” Coach Chris Pollard said. “I love the response and the fight and the competitiveness from our team in that moment.”
A quiet fifth inning would follow, and Wake Forest failed to score in the top of the sixth inning, partially thanks to Yoder on the mound.
“The [velocity] wasn’t quite as high as it has been,” Yoder said. “I was definitely doing stuff with the mind of, like, I want to make sure that I’m able to continue and keep my best stuff.”
Becker singled in the bottom of that frame to continue the Virginia scoring. AJ Gracia was next up to face freshman pitcher Evan Jones. However, Jones’ three pickoff attempts preceded a pitching change, and he appeared to do so in order to buy time for his replacement to warm up.
Despite the fresh arm, the Demon Deacons would give up two more runs before the end of the sixth inning, although the Cavaliers nearly plated three before the reversal of a contentious call that ended the inning with Virginia up 9-4.
Wake Forest stayed quiet again in the top of the seventh. The Cavaliers continued their offensive push, though, with every batter in the order having an at-bat in the bottom of the frame. Along the way, Virginia added four more runs, putting the team one away from a run-rule victory.
That victory would not come in the seventh inning, although the Cavaliers were assured of another opportunity by quickly retiring the Demon Deacon batters — especially thanks to a highlight-reel Eric Becker throw.
“Honestly, [Becker’s throw was] one of the best defensive plays I’ve seen in my 30 years of college baseball, right?,” Pollard said. “That was an unbelievable play. The range to get to that ball … he’s a big-league shortstop with real power.”
Three walks loaded the bases for Virginia in the bottom of the eighth. The winning run — the score that would bring the Cavaliers to 20 wins on the season — would be scored by freshman pinch runner Bryce Neely, driven in on a walk-off wild pitch.
The next matchup for Virginia baseball will be a midweek contest against Maryland. The matchup against the Terrapins (11-12, 1-5 Big Ten) will take place on neutral ground in Fredericksburg, Va. This is the second year in a row that the teams have played Maryland at Virginia Credit Union Stadium, following last year's walkoff 7-6 win. First pitch is scheduled for 5:35 p.m.
Read More
In first heartbreak of the season, No. 1 men’s tennis falls to No. 4 Wake Forest
By Margaret Piatos | 2 hours agoThe Demon Deacons rode an early lead to hand the Cavaliers their first ACC loss.
Dancing through blood, sweat and tears, undaunted Virginia tops Iowa in all-time classic
By Xander Tilock | 3 hours agoVirginia’s band of heroes smiled. Aching, bloodied and exhausted, they celebrated with vigor. This did not look like the energy one would expect for a plucky darling of the NCAA Tournament that had to win three games in five days.
No. 18 Virginia softball tacks on two more ACC wins, runs circles around Syracuse
By Cierra Lyles | 22 hours agoAfter Bigham had a much more efficient inning of work in the bottom of the second, the Cavaliers were back on offense.
