Virginia Baseball Rallies to Beat Hofstra 10-8 in Season Opener
Though at times it wasn't pretty and required a great deal more drama than perhaps was expected, No. 14 Virginia opened the 2024 college baseball season with a win. Despite finding themselves trailing on two separate occasions, the Cavaliers found a way to work back into the game and No. 14 Virginia (1-0) ultimately held on for a sloppy, but gritty 10-8 victory over Hofstra (0-1) in the season opener on Friday at Disharoon Park.
After making 11 starts on the mound as a true freshman last season, Jack O'Connor got the ball to open the 2024 season. The visiting Pride ended up giving O'Connor a lot of trouble early and often, striking first in the top of the first as Dylan Palmer hit an infield single, advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by O'Connor, and came around to score on a single into the left-center gap by Steve Harrington.
It didn't take long for the Cavaliers to strike back, as Griff O'Ferrall, who hit just one home run all of last season, crushed one to left field for a leadoff homer to tie things up.
After a scoreless second frame, Hofstra put up three runs in the top of the third on an RBI single by Harrington, an RBI ground-rule double by Alex McCoy, and an RBI groundout by Sean Lane, putting some real pressure on the Cavaliers, who suddenly found themselves trailing 4-1.
That would remain the score until the bottom of the sixth inning, when what was one of the best offenses in the country in 2023 finally looked the part, sending six runs across the plate to turn the game on its head. In that inning, Anthony Stephan singled to score Eric Becker, Henry Ford singled up the middle to score Stephan and O'Ferrall, Casey Saucke brought in Ethan Anderson with a sacrifice fly, and Harrison Didawick hit a two-run home run to left center to make it 7-4.
To their credit, the Pride did not collapse after seeing their lead disappear, striking back immediately with two runs in the top of the seventh and another in the eighth off Kevin Jaxel to tie the game at 7-7. Virginia answered in the bottom half of the inning, as Henry Ford singled and Casey Saucke walked to start the rally. The Cavaliers would register no further hits in the inning, but drew three more walks and scored three runs, each due to a pitch getting past the Hofstra catcher, one passed ball and two wild pitches.
With a 10-7 lead, Blake Barker gave up two singles to allow the tying run to come to the plate for Hofstra in the top of the ninth. Virginia brought in Aidan Teel, the younger brother of Kyle Teel who made his collegiate debut after sitting out the 2023 season with an injury. Teel gave up an RBI single to McCoy, but then struck out the next two batters swinging to secure the win in the first game of the season for the Cavaliers.
Seton Hill transfer Blake Barker was credited with the win in his Cavalier debut, while Aidan Teel got the save in his first collegiate appearance.
Virginia will look to secure the series win in game 2 on Saturday at 1pm with sophomore lefty Evan Blanco starting on the mound for the Cavaliers.
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