Virginia Baseball Sweeps Rhode Island, Gives Brian O'Connor 800th Win

Brian O'Connor has won his 800th game as the head coach of the Virginia baseball program. UVA completed the series sweep with a 16-6 win over Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon at Disharoon Park, making Brian O'Connor just the eighth head coach to ever reach 800 wins at an ACC baseball program.

Win No. 8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ for the 🐐 #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/W3G8AOAkKW
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 5, 2023

Rhode Island struck first, as Mark Coley sent the second pitch of the game from UVA freshman Jack O'Connor over the wall in left-center field for a leadoff home run. O'Connor settled in after that, striking out the next two batters and retiring the next five batters in order.

Virginia didn't stay behind on the scoreboard for long. In the bottom of the first inning, Jake Gelof and Kyle Teel hit a pair of two-out singles and then Casey Saucke hit a double down the left field line to score both Gelof and Teel. Ethan Anderson singled to center field to bring home Saucke to give Virginia a 3-1 lead.

After a scoreless second inning, the Cavaliers scored four more runs in the bottom of the third on a Jake Gelof RBI single, RBI groundouts from Casey Saucke and Ethan Anderson, and an RBI single from Harrison Didawick.

Rhode Island score a run in the top of fourth on an RBI single from Jack Hopko, but UVA responded with five more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Griff O'Ferrall hit a leadoff single, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Gelof. Kyle Teel hit an RBI single and then Virginia proceeded to load the bases with two outs before Harrison Didawick hit a double into the gap in left center field to clear the bases, giving the Cavaliers a 12-2 lead.

O'Connor ran into some more trouble after that, giving up another solo home run to Mark Coley before hitting a batter and giving up a single. Rhode Island scored a run on a passed ball and O'Connor walked another batter before getting replaced by Angelo Tonas. Rhode Island added two more runs in the top of the sixth on a pair of RBI singles, making it 12-6.

Virginia put down any hope for a Rhode Island comeback with three runs in the seventh on a Gelof sacrifice fly, an RBI double from Kyle Teel, and an RBI single from Casey Saucke. In the next inning, Gelof went deep to left center for his 29th career home run, moving into sixth place on UVA's all-time career home run list.

RRRRRAAAAAAKKKKEEEEE #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/sMI8AEeSwj
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 5, 2023

It was a fantastic day all-around for Jake Gelof, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored in the game. Kyle Teel had an incredible weekend too, going 10-for-13 at the plate over the three games and amassing two doubles, six RBI, and eight runs scored.

Jacob Hodorovich, Jay Woolfolk, and Jake Berry combined to keep Rhode Island off the board for the final three innings, securing Virginia's 16-6 win and the series sweep.

Virginia remains undefeated, starting the season 11-0 for the second-straight year and fifth time in program history. Up next, UVA closes out a nine-game homestand against William & Mary on Tuesday at 3pm.

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