No. 7 Virginia Gets Back on Track With 4-1 Win at Liberty

After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time all season over the weekend in Blacksburg, the Cavaliers bounced back with a solid road win over a different in-state opponent two days later.

Behind a four-hit performance from Griff O'Ferrall and a stellar combined outing from the UVA pitching staff, No. 7 Virginia defeated Liberty 4-1 on Tuesday night in Lynchburg.

Games 2 and 3 of the Virginia Tech series were extremely disappointing for the UVA pitching staff, which gave up a combined 14 walks, 24 hits, and 24 runs in those two games as the Cavaliers let the series slip away to the Hokies. Tuesday's game at Liberty saw the Virginia arms get back on track, recording a combined 12 strikeouts and alowing just a single run.

First-year Cullen McKay made his first-career start on the mound and set the tone early for the Virginia pitching staff, allowing just two baserunners and striking out six batters in three innings of work. Chase Hungate pitched a scoreless inning in the fourth and was credited with the victory as the Cavaliers took the lead for good in their next turn at the plate.

In the top of the fifth, Griff O'Ferrall hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on an error, hustled to third on a fly-out from Jake Gelof, and then came home on an RBI single into right field from Ethan Anderson for the game's first run. Anthony Stephan drew a walk to load the bases and then Casey Saucke poked a single up the middle to score two runs.

Bradley Hodges worked a scoreless fifth inning and Kevin Jaxel set down the Flames in order in the sixth. Angelo Tonas kept it 3-0 through the seventh inning and then Virginia extended its lead in the top of the eighth on an RBI double from Kyle Teel to make it 4-0.

Evan Blanco allowed Liberty's first and only run of the game in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single from Gray Betts, but Blanco managed to avoid further damage with back-to-back outs to get out of a first-and-third situation.

Jay Woolfolk entered the game in the ninth and, after giving up a leadoff single, retired the next three batters in order to secure the 4-1 victory for Virginia.

Griff O'Ferrall led the way for the Cavalier offense, going 4 for 6 with two runs scored, while Ethan Anderson went 3 for 5 with one RBI and Casey Saucke drove in two runs.

Now 25-4 on the season, Virginia hosts a big three-game series against No. 20 Miami this weekend, beginning with game 1 on Friday at 6pm at Disharoon Park.

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