Virginia Baseball Shakes Slow Start, Knocks Off No. 18 Iowa in 12-9 Thriller
Despite trailing by as many as six runs, Virginia baseball remains undefeated in 2024.
Facing their first ranked opponent of the season, the Cavaliers spotted the Hawkeyes six runs in the first inning as Jack O'Connor struggled early on. But UVA was unfazed by the early deficit, battled back to make it a new game by the midway point of the contest, and eventually No. 14 Virginia (6-0) took down No. 18 Iowa (3-3) in a 12-9 thriller on Saturday night in Jacksonville.
It was a disaster of a first inning for Jack O'Connor, who gave up a two-run triple to Raider Tello, a three-run home run to Kyle Huckstorf, and allowed another run to score on a wild pitch as Iowa raced out to a 6-0 lead.
Virginia got on the board in the top of the third thanks to a two-run single from Casey Saucke. O'Connor put up a scoreless frame in the second, but gave up another run in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Ben Wilmes.
UVA got back in the game and then some in the top of the fourth, as Eric Becker delivered an RBI double, Jacob Ference scored on a wild pitch, Anthony Stephan brought in Becker with an RBI groundout, and Ethan Anderson finally hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field that capped Virginia's five-run inning to tie the game at 7-7.
The knotted score didn't last for long. O'Connor hit the first two Iowa batters he faced in the bottom of the fourth and was pulled from the game. Jay Woolfolk was brought in from the bullpen and, after giving up an RBI single to put the Hawkeyes back in front, held Iowa scoreless through the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.
Virginia was also held off the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth, but tied the game in the top of the seventh on a solo home run from Casey Saucke. The Cavaliers took their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth, as Saucke came up with another clutch hit to bring home Anthony Stephan.
Woolfolk gave up a leadoff single to start the bottom of the eighth and that runner eventually scored on an error to tie the game at 9-9.
Virginia had no plans to go to extra innings for the second-straight game though, plating three runs in the top of the ninth to seize control of the game. Henry Godbout started the rally with a leadoff double and the Cavaliers ended up loading the bases, with Anthony Stephan drawing a walk to bring home the game-winning run. Henry Ford, the hero of Friday's 10th-inning walk-off win over Wichita State, delivered another clutch hit with a two-run single to make it 12-9.
Seton Hill transfer Blake Barker walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the ninth, but retired the next three batters in order to secure the save and seal Virginia's 12-9 win.
Ryan Osinski was credited with the win, but Jay Woolfolk had the pitching performance of the night for the Cavaliers, giving up zero earned runs and striking out five batters in 4.1 innings of work, a stellar bounce-back outing after his first-career start went awry last weekend. Casey Saucke led the UVA bats with three hits, three RBI, and a homer and Henry Godbout was 4 for 5 with two doubles.
Virginia will look to preserve its unbeaten record in the final game of the Jax College Baseball Classic against Auburn on Sunday at 4pm.
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