Virginia Baseball Falls to UMass 10-5 for First Loss of 2024
Virginia got away with subpar baseball in a 4-3 extra inning win over UMass to open the weekend series on Friday. But when the Cavaliers again played far below standard in game 2, the Minutemen made them pay.
The UVA baseball team suffered its first loss of the 2024 season and first regular season loss to a non-conference opponent since April 19th, 2022 as UMass (2-4) handed No. 13 Virginia (9-1) a 10-5 loss on Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
Virginia had come close to suffering its first loss several times through the first nine games of the 2024 campaign, trailing in seven of those nine victories. This time, the Cavaliers dug themselves a hole they couldn't climb out of. UVA starter Jack O'Connor gave up two runs in the top of the first on a two-run home run by Carter Hanson and then two more runs in the top of the second on a pair of RBI groundouts.
The UVA offense, meanwhile, was held completely off the board for the first four innings by UMass starter Sam Belliveau, despite the Cavaliers having runners in scoring position in three of those four innings. The top of the fourth saw UMass capitalize on a fielding error and a hit-by-pitch with Kevin Skagerlind driving in two runs with a single to make it 6-0.
Virginia finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Eric Becker hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Anthony Stephan. The Cavaliers got within striking distance with two more runs in the sixth, with Ethan Anderson and Casey Saucke opening the inning with singles and eventually coming around to cross the plate to make it 6-3.
After a scoreless seventh frame, both teams scored a run in the eighth on RBI singles by Michael Toth and Bobby Whalen. The game went to the ninth inning with the margin still three runs at 7-4 and the Cavaliers still maintaining a faint glimmer of hope for a comeback to preserve their perfect record. Instead, UMass put the nail in the coffin with a three-spot in the top of the ninth, as three different UVA relief pitchers couldn't stop the Minutemen from extending their lead to 10-4.
Anthony Stephan hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth, but Henry Ford and Ethan Anderson popped out to put the Cavaliers down to their final out. Casey Saucke singled to score Stephan, but Harrison Didawick popped out to foul territory to end the game as Virginia suffered its first loss of 2024.
Saucke went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and an RBI and extended his hitting streak to 18 games dating back to last season. It wasn't a good day for the UVA pitching staff with the exception of Chase Hungate, who struck out three batters and gave up no runs in 2.2 innings of relief.
Virginia will look to bounce back and clinch the series with UMass in game 3 on Sunday at 1pm at Disharoon Park.
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