Big Fifth Inning Helps Virginia Crush Penn State 10-1 in Series Opener

The Cavaliers put up eight runs in the fifth and remained unbeaten with a victory over the Nittany Lions

Author:
Matt Newton
Updated:
Mar 4, 2022 6:07 PM EST
Original:
Mar 4, 2022

For four innings, it seemed like the Cavalier bats might finally have a quiet day. The game was tied at 1-1 and there was a solid pitcher's duel going between Penn State's Travis Luensmann and Virginia's Nate Savino.

Then, as they have so many times already this season, the Cavaliers exploded for eight runs in the fifth inning to blow the game wide open. Virginia scored double-digit runs for the sixth game in a row and remained undefeated with a 10-1 victory over Penn State on Friday afternoon at Disharoon Park.

Nate Savino got the start on the mound for the Cavaliers and delivered six solid innings, giving up five hits and one earned run and striking out four batters. Other than the one run he gave up in the top of the second on an RBI double by Billy Gerlott, it was a solid performance for the junior lefty Savino, who picked up his second victory of the season.

Griff O'Ferrall reached first on an infield single to leadoff the bottom of the first before stealing second and advancing to the third on an errant throw. Devin Ortiz then grounded out to bring O'Ferrall home for the game's first run. Penn State tied things up in the top of the second and the score would remain 1-1 until the bottom of the fifth.

Penn State's Travis Luensmann had made quick work of the Cavaliers for most of the game until that point, but the Hoos finally got to him in the fifth. Alex Tappen started the inning with a double down the left field line and then Chris Newell got aboard with a bunt that he legged out into a single. Newell stole second, which indirectly scored Tappen from third on an errant throw by the catcher. Then, Casey Saucke singled to bring in Newell.

Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Kyle Teel hit a bases-clearing triple to center field, scoring O'Ferrall, Colin Tuft, and Casey Saucke. Teel then came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Devin Ortiz. With two outs, Virginia tacked on two more as Jake Gelof singled and Alex Tappen crushed a ball over the left field bleachers for a two-run shot to cap off the eight-run inning for the Cavaliers.

UVA scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth for good measure. Tuft singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a passed ball, and then stole home to make it 10-1.

Jacob Hodorovich replaced Savino on the bump for Virginia in the seventh and delivered two perfect innings with two strikeouts. Paul Kosanovich, a right-handed grad transfer from East Los Angeles College, made his UVA debut in the top of the ninth and needed just ten pitches to close out the game.

With the win, Virginia improves to 9-0 on the season. The Cavaliers will play Game 2 of their series against the Nittany Lions on Saturday at 1pm at Disharoon Park. Brian Gursky is Virginia's projected starting pitcher for the game as the Hoos aim for a 10-0 start to the season.

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