Virginia Baseball Caps Homestand With Another Comeback Win, Beats VCU 8-4
Another day, another come-from-behind victory for the Virginia baseball team. The Cavaliers fell behind their in-state visitors twice, but rallied both times as No. 11 Virginia (26-7) wrapped up the five-game homestand with an 8-4 victory over VCU (22-11) on Tuesday night at Disharoon Park.
It was a scheduled bullpen game for the Cavaliers, who wound up using a season-high 10 pitchers in the game. Matthew Buchanan got the start for UVA and gave up a solo home run to Brandon Eike to give the Rams the first inning lead.
Virginia didn't waste anytime coming up with an answer, as Griff O'Ferrall hit a leadoff single and scored on a triple from Anthony Stephan, who then scored on a Casey Saucke groundout. Harrison Didawick reached on an error and then Jacob Ference delivered another RBI triple for UVA to make it 3-1.
VCU got a run back in the top of the second on an RBI double from Cooper Benzin to make it 3-2. That score held through to the fifth inning, when Jay Woolfolk hit a batter and gave up a single before getting replaced by Owen Coady, who gave up another single to load the bases. A fielder's choice grounder allowed one run to score and then Coady walked back-to-back batters to bring in another run, giving the Rams a 4-3 lead.
With the bases still loaded, Virginia turned to former VCU transfer Chase Hungate, who got the Cavaliers out of the jam to keep it a one-run game.
VCU's lead was again short-loved, as Anthony Stephan and Henry Ford hit singles and then Harrison Didawick blasted a two-out three-run home run to left-center field, his 14th homer of the season.
Hungate followed up his escape effort in the fifth with an easy 1-2-3 inning in the top of the sixth. UVA added to its lead in the bottom half as Griff O'Ferrall hit a two-out single, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt, and then scored on a fielding error to make it 7-4.
VCU threatened to cut UVA's lead with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh as a couple of walks and a fielder's choice loaded the bases, but Aidan Teel recorded a clutch three-pitch strikeout to get out of it with no damage. Teel then worked around a walk and a single in the eighth to put another zero on the board.
Virginia tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth as Luke Hanson singled, moved to third on an Antonio Perrotta single, and scored on a Griff O'Ferrall single to extend the Cavalier lead to four runs. Matt Augustin gave up a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, but rebounded with a couple of strikeouts and a groundout to polish off Virginia's 8-4 victory.
Harrison Didawick led the way offensively, going 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored and Griff O'Ferrall went 3 for 5 with two runs scored. Chase Hungate was credited with the win against his former team, his third victory of the season.
Up next, Virginia hits the road for a three-game series this weekend at Louisville. Game 1 is set for Friday at 6pm, and then games 2 and 3 will have a 1pm start time on Saturday and Sunday. All three games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.