Photo courtesy of Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics Communications
Virginia Hits Two Grand Slams, Crushes Boston College 18-1
After needing a come-from-behind effort and a walk-off hit from Chris Newell to win game one in extra innings on Friday, the Cavaliers decided to ditch the theatrics in game two. Virginia exploded for 16 hits, including five home runs and two grand slams, and crushed Boston College 18-1 on Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
After a scoreless first inning, UVA put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Casey Saucke walked and scored on a double from Ethan Anderson. Then, with the bases loaded, Kyle Teel took a 1-0 pitch deep to right center for a grand slam, Teel's third grand slam of the season.
After a Devin Ortiz walk, Jake Gelof hit his 10th home run of the season, once again blasting a ball off the clubhouse in left center field.
To cap off the inning, Chris Newell walked, advanced to second and then third on back-to-back wild pitches, and then came home on an error to make it 8-0.
Virginia's big-time second inning was more than enough for Brian Gursky, who started on the mound and went six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and recording six strikeouts. The grad transfer from USC improved to 5-0 this season.
The Eagles scored their lone run of the game in the top of the third inning on a solo home run from Travis Honeyman, his third homer of the series. Boston College managed just five hits in the game.
Virginia scored again in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Devin Ortiz, who then came home on Jake Gelof's second home run of the game. Gelof now leads the country in home runs with 11.
Virginia piled on late in the game on a three-run home run from Alex Tappen in the seventh and then a grand slam, UVA's second of the game, from Chris Newell in the bottom of the eighth.
Dylan Bowers replaced Gursky in the seventh and struck out five batters and gave up just one hit in two innings of scoreless pitching. Paul Kosanovich came on and pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out the victory.
Interestingly, Virginia's 18-1 win over Boston College improves the Cavaliers' overall record to 18-1 on the season. UVA, now 4-1 in ACC play, will look to finish off the first ACC sweep of the season against Boston College on Sunday at 1pm at Disharoon Park.
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