Jacob Hodorovich, Virginia Cavaliers baseball — Photo courtesy of Matt Riley/Virginia Athletics Communications

Selden's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts VCU Over No. 11 Virginia in 10 Innings

The Cavaliers rallied from five runs down to send the game to extra innings, but the Rams prevailed in the tenth

Author:
Matt Newton
Updated:
Apr 20, 2022 5:30 PM EDT
Original:
Apr 19, 2022

For perhaps the first time all season, the Cavaliers proved to be a resilient bunch. They took a punch from the Rams and got back on their feet. Unfortunately for the Wahoos, VCU had one more swing left in the tank as the game went to extra innings and that swing was right on the money.

UVA used a five-run seventh inning to erase a 7-2 deficit and send the game into extra innings, but Jacob Selden hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to give VCU a 9-7 victory over No. 8 Virginia on Tuesday night in Richmond.

VCU starter Campbell Ellis set down the first four batters he faced, but Devin Ortiz walked and Chris Newell singled to put runners on the corners with one out in the top of the second. Colin Tuft gave the Cavaliers the lead with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Ortiz from third.

Will Geerdes, making his second start of the season on the mound for Virginia, yielded just one base runner through the first two innings, but his outing turned disastrous in the bottom of the third. A hit-by-pitch, a single, and a walk loaded the bases for the Rams with just one out. Logan Amiss delivered a one-run single down the left field line to tie the game and then Connor Hujsak took Geerdes deep to left field for a grand slam to put VCU in front 5-1.

Both teams scored a run in the fourth, as Ethan Anderson hit an RBI single up the middle and the Rams responded with another home run off the bat of Scottie O'Bryan. The Rams extended their lead to 7-2 in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Jacob Selden, who would go on to play the hero for VCU five innings later.

Chase Hungate replaced Ellis on the mound for VCU in the fourth and gave up just one run through the next three innings. In the bottom of the seventh, the Cavalier bats finally got to Hungate, as Ethan Anderson, Jake Rubin, and Griff O'Ferrall hit doubles on back-to-back-to-back pitches. Rattled, Hungate threw a wild pitch, which moved O'Ferrall to third base and he scored on a RBI ground out by Kyle Teel.

Hungate got Jake Gelof to fly out to center field and was then pulled from the game in favor of Joey Perkins. Alex Tappen hit a two-out single and then Devin Ortiz took a 2-1 pitch deep to left field for a clutch two-run home run, tying the game at 7-7.

Neither team scored in the next two innings and the game went to extra innings still tied at seven runs apiece.

In the top of the tenth, Jake Rubin reached out on a fielder's choice and moved to second on a throwing error. VCU pitcher Nolan Wilson threw a wild pitch, allowing Rubin to advance to third, 90 feet away from giving the Cavaliers the lead. Griff O'Ferrall worked the count full against Wilson and then made solid contact on the payoff pitch, but he got just underneath it enough that left fielder Cooper Benzin was able to get under the ball to make the catch and end the inning.

Jacob Hodorovich, who entered the game in the sixth inning for UVA, delivered four scoreless innings into the tenth inning. Hodorovich got the first out of the tenth, but then walked Devan Barnett to put the game-winning run on first.

Virginia inserted Jay Woolfolk, who fell behind in the count 3-1 against Jacob Selden. Woolfolk's fifth pitch was the last of the game as Selden hammered it over the right field wall for a walk-off home run.

The Cavaliers fought hard to get back in the game, but the Rams made the crucial plays late that made the difference. VCU (20-15) has now won three games in a row against Virginia after sweeping both meetings between the two teams last season. UVA and VCU will meet again in Charlottesville on May 3rd.

Virginia (27-10) has now last seven of its last eight games. The Cavaliers will return home to face Georgetown on Wednesday at 6pm at Disharoon Park.

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