Virginia Bats Explode Again in 26-2 Victory Over Longwood

The Cavaliers put up 26 runs, their highest single-game run total since April 23rd, 2010

The Virginia baseball team has played two home games so far this season. In those two games, the Cavaliers have had a staggering 50 runs cross the plate. After putting up 24 runs in the season-opening win over Navy on Friday, No. 19 Virginia (4-0) managed to top that score with a 26-2 victory over Longwood on Tuesday evening at Disharoon Park. 

The Cavaliers put two runs across the plate on a Casey Saucke two-run single before Longwood had recorded even a single out in the bottom of the first inning. Ethan Anderson also hit an RBI single to put Virginia up 3-0 after one inning. UVA added three more runs in the bottom of the second as Griff O'Ferrall singled to score Justin Rubin and then Jake Gelof got a fortunate break as his long fly-ball to center field went off the glove of the Longwood center fielder and over the wall for a two-run home run. 

Jake Gelof's shortest career HR.

Hoos up 6-0 after 2.

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— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) February 21, 2023

Things truly got out of hand in the bottom of third as the Cavaliers put up seven runs to more than double their lead. Harrison Didawick scored on a single from Griff O'Ferrall and then Gelof drove in two runs on a hard-hit ball that was too hot for the Longwood shortstop to handle. Kyle Teel scored Gelof and O'Donnell with a two-out single and Virginia added two more runs on back-to-back doubles by Ethan Anderson and Colin Tuft. That big third inning gave Virginia a 13-0 lead and Brian O'Connor began to substitute in his bench players in the fourth inning. 

Chris Baker delivered an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to make it 14-0. After a scoreless fifth inning, the Cavaliers exploded for 10 more runs in the sixth. That inning saw Anthony Stephan hit an two-run double, Colin Tuft hit an RBI single, Henry Godbout hit a two-run single, and Harrison Didawick hit a three-run home run. 

Harrison Didawick with an oppo 🌮, his second homer of the year.

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— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) February 21, 2023

Longwood got on the board in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by James Nelson, but the Cavaliers responded with a two-run homer of their own as Henry Godbout hit the first home run of his collegiate career. 

UVA used six different pitchers in the game. Army transfer Connelly Early made his first start in a Virginia uniform and allowed just one hit and zero earned runs in four innings of work. Early faced the minimum number of batters as the Virginia defense turned two double plays to erase the walk and hit that Early surrendered. Kevin Jaxel, Cullen McKay, Angelo Tonas, Matthew Buchanan, and Alex Greene each pitched one inning for the Cavaliers. 

Virginia had 11 different batters record an RBI and 13 different Cavaliers got a hit in the game. UVA had 25 hits as a team and scored 26 runs, the most the Cavaliers have scored in a single game since scoring 27 against Maryland on April 23rd, 2010. 

Now 4-0 on the season, Virginia will host a three-game series against Columbia this weekend at Disharoon Park, starting with game one on Friday at 3pm. 

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