Virginia Baseball Uses Strong Start to Beat Penn State 6-3
Strong starts have largely eluded them this season, but the Cavaliers have begun to improve on that front. For the second game in a row, No. 13 Virginia (11-1) got off to a strong start, jumping out to a 5-0 lead, and held off Penn State (7-4) for a 6-3 victory on Tuesday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
After Owen Coady retired the side in order in the top of the first, Virginia struck first in the bottom half as Henry Ford hit a two-out single, moved to second on a single by Ethan Anderson, and scored on a single by Casey Saucke. Coady induced an inning-ending double play in the top of the second and then the Cavaliers doubled their lead in the bottom of the second on a crushed solo home run by Harrison Didawick into the right field bullpen.
After a scoreless third, Virginia used a three-run fourth inning to open up a 5-0 lead with Henry Godbout hitting an RBI triple, Luke Hanson hitting an RBI double, and Griff O'Ferrall hitting an RBI single.
Coady held Penn State to just three baserunners through the first four innings, but the Nittany Lions finally got to him in the top of the fifth, using five singles and a sacrifice fly to score three runs and get back into the game.
Chase Hungate, who got the Cavaliers out of the fifth with a strikeout, opened the top of the sixth with two more strikeouts before giving up a two-out single. Angelo Tonas finished off the sixth and started the seventh with a pair of strikeouts before he too gave up a two-out single. Ryan Osinski got a fly-out to end the seventh and then Blake Barker worked around a one-out walk in the eighth to preserve UVA's 5-3 lead.
Virginia picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Bobby Whalen doubled to left center and scored on an RBI single by Griff O'Ferrall to make it 6-3 heading to the final frame.
Aidan Teel came on for the ninth inning and worked around a one-out single to pick up his fourth save of the season, securing the 6-3 win for the Cavaliers.
Owen Coady gave up three earned runs on seven hits and struck out five batters in 4.2 innings of work and Chase Hungate got the win, striking out three and allowing zero earned runs. Griff O'Ferrall and Casey Saucke both went 2 for 4 and combined to drive in three of Virginia's six runs.
It's a busy week for the Virginia baseball team, as the Cavaliers are back in action on the road at George Washington on Wednesday at 2:30pm before visiting Miami for a three-game series this weekend.
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