Virginia Baseball Takes Game 1 Over No. 7 Wake Forest in 16-10 Shootout
The Cavaliers did nothing to soothe concerns over their struggling pitching staff, but when you're swinging the bat the way they are right now, it's easy to be optimistic - so let's just say the pitching staff is a "work in progress."
A week after scoring 31 runs in a series loss at Miami, UVA surrendered 10 runs on 13 hits in the series opener against a top 10 team, but thanks to another offensive explosion, headlined by a seven-run second inning and an eight-run sixth, No. 17 Virginia took game 1 over No. 7 Wake Forest (12-5, 1-3 ACC) in a 16-10 shootout on Friday night at Disharoon Park.
After an hour and a half rain delay and a scoreless first inning, fireworks erupted at the Dish as a combined 12 runs were scored in the second inning. Cullen McKay retired the first two Wake batters in the top of the second, but then gave up a double and a walk and then hit a batter to load the bases. McKay walked in a run and then Ada Tellier wiped the slate clean with a grand slam to left field, giving the Demon Deacons an early 5-0 lead.
The Virginia bats went right to work in the bottom half of the inning and managed to knock Wake Forest All-American ace Josh Hartle out of the game. Harrison Didawick started things off with a leadoff single and then Jacob Ference doubled down the right field line before coming around to score on an Ethan Anderson double. The rest of UVA's damage came with two outs, as Griff O'Ferrall singled to score Anderson and then Bobby Whalen and Casey Saucke followed that up with two more singles to bring another run home. Henry Ford hit a two-run double to center field to give Virginia the lead and then Didawick drew a walk, spelling the end of Hartle's very brief outing. A pair of passed balls allowed another run to score and the Cavaliers took a 7-5 lead after a marathon second inning.
Wake Forest answered in the third, as McKay gave up a single and a walk before getting pulled from the game. Angelo Tonas came in and surrendered an RBI single and then a two-run double to Cam Nelson to hand the lead back to the Deacs. Wake tacked on another run in the fourth with some small ball to push the lead to 9-7.
Blake Barker got Virginia out of the jam in the fourth and Matt Augustin worked around a one-out single to register a scoreless fifth, but then issued a walk and a double in the top of the sixth. Dean Kampschror entered the game and allowed one run to score on a wild pitch, but then picked up a clutch strikeout to strand the bases loaded and keep UVA within striking distance at 10-7.
As it turns out, "striking distance" is a pretty big range for this Cavalier offense. Virginia proceeded to score eight runs in the bottom of the sixth, all with two outs, turning the game on its head. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases and Henry Godbout was hit by a pitch to score a run. Then came a lucky break for the Cavaliers as Wake Forest committed a terrible fielding blunder with third baseman Seaver King dropping Ference's routine infield fly ball that would have ended the inning with Wake still leading by two runs. Instead, the ball bounced out of his glove and two runs scored to tie the game.
That left the door open for Virginia to continue the rally and that's exactly what happened. Stephan walked to bring another run home and then Griff O'Ferrall delivered a big base hit into left field to score Anderson and Ference. Bobby Whalen added a two-run single of his own and after an eight-run frame on just four hits, Virginia suddenly led 15-10.
Jack O'Connor used a pair of strikeouts to work around a single and post a zero in the top of the seventh and then delivered a 1-2-3 eighth. UVA added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a leadoff solo home run from Jacob Ference.
O'Connor remained on the mound in the ninth and, after giving up a leadoff single, he retired the next three batters in order to secure Virginia's 16-10 win.
13 of UVA's 16 runs were scored with two outs, including all eight in that pivotal sixth inning. Jacob Ference led the way with three extra base hits, two RBI, and three runs scored, while Griff O'Ferrall was 3 for 6 with three RBI and Bobby Whalen was 3 for 6 with an RBI and two runs scored.
It was a rough outing for Cullen McKay, but the Cavalier bullpen cleaned up nicely in the back half of the game. Matt Augustin picked up the win and Jack O'Connor earned a three-inning save, giving up just two hits and zero earned runs and striking out four batters across those three frames.
Virginia will look to claim the series win in game 2 on Saturday at 4pm at Disharoon Park. UVA lefty Evan Blanco is set to face Wake righty Chase Burns and this game will be televised on the ACC Network.
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