Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics
Parker Strikes Out 12, No. 13 Virginia Beats No. 20 Duke 10-2 to Even Series
On Friday night, the Blue Devils sprayed 21 hits around the ballpark and pushed 17 runs across home plate in a dominant series-opening victory over the Cavaliers.
The next day, that same offense was completely flummoxed by UVA starter Nick Parker, who threw a career-high 12 strikeouts to lead No. 13 Virginia to a 10-2 win over No. 20 Duke to even the series on Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
Parker and Duke starter Ryan Higgins went back and forth in a pitchers' duel early on, giving up just three baserunners combined between the two of them through the first three innings. Duke's Alex Stone broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with his second home run of the series, a solo shot deep into the left field bleachers to put the Blue Devils on top. Virginia answered in the bottom half of the inning as Jake Gelof delivered a double to move Ethan O'Donnell to third and then a Kyle Teel groundout to second base brought O'Donnell home to tie the game. The next two batters reached base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases, but Higgins got Anthony Stephan to fly out to end the inning with the game still tied 1-1.
After Parker struck out the side for the second time in the top of the fifth, UVA took the lead as Henry Godbout was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a Griff O'Ferrall single, and then scored on a fielder's choice grounder by O'Donnell. While the Cavaliers scored their first two runs with small ball, the Blue Devils scored their only runs with the long ball. Jay Beshears hit a 3-2 pitch just barely over the wall in left field in the top of the sixth to tie things up again at 2-2.
Once again, UVA responded right away, this time with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ethan Anderson hit a double and then scored on a ground-rule double by Anthony Stephan. After a Godbout walk, Harrison Didawick singled up the middle to bring Stephan home and then Godbout sprinted home on a wild pitch to give Virginia a 5-2 lead.
Parker got the first two outs of the seventh before giving up a single and exiting the game to a well-deserved and well-earned ovation from the packed house at Disharoon Park.
The new pitcher Kevin Jaxel walked the first batter he faced, but got out of the inning with a groundout. The Virginia offense kept the momentum going in the bottom of the seventh. O'Donnell hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a balk, and then scored on a Kyle Teel single. Ethan Anderson doubled into the gap in left center to score Teel and then Casey Saucke brought in Anderson with a single to make it 8-2.
Jake Berry entered the game in the top of the eighth and retired the side in order and then UVA added two more runs on a double down the left field line by Kyle Teel. Berry remained on the mound and finished things off in the ninth to secure the 10-2 victory for Virginia.
Nick Parker got the win and the game ball after allowing just two earned runs on four hits and striking out 12 batters in 6.2 innings of work. Kyle Teel went 2 for 5 with four RBI and Ethan Anderson had a pair of doubles and two runs scored.
The win improves the Cavaliers to 35-10 overall and 13-10 in the ACC. Virginia will go for the series win over Duke on Sunday at 1pm at Disharoon Park.
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