Cavaliers Now

Virginia Baseball Suffers First Home Series Loss to NC State Since 2016

Matt Newton

Griff O'Ferrall swings at a pitch during the Virginia baseball game against NC State at Disharoon Park.
Griff O'Ferrall swings at a pitch during the Virginia baseball game against NC State at Disharoon Park. / Virginia Athletics

For the first time since 2016, NC State defeated the Virginia baseball team in a three-game series at Disharoon Park.

The Wolfpack scored 13 runs on 11 hits, including three home runs, as pitching lapses led to another disappointing loss for the Cavaliers. No. 10 Virginia (37-14, 15-12 ACC) suffered a 13-5 defeat to No. 23 NC State (29-19, 15-11 ACC) to concede the series to the Wolfpack on Sunday afternoon at Disharoon Park.

Owen Coady surrendered a three-run home run to Brandon Butterworth in the top of the first inning, putting Virginia in an early hole. The Cavaliers responded in the bottom of the second, as Henry Godbout and Eric Becker hit back-to-back RBI singles and then Griff O'Ferrall doubled down the left field line to score Becker and Godbout, putting UVA in front 4-3.

After a scoreless third inning, NC State regained the lead with a big top of the fourth, scoring four runs on three hits and an error as neither Coady nor Bryson Moore could contain the damage.

Harrison Didawick answered in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff home run, his 19th of the season, to pull the Cavaliers back within two.

Both teams went quietly in the fifth and then NC State used another long ball to replenish its lead in the top of the sixth, as Blake Barker gave up a leadoff single and then turned the ball over to Chase Hungate, who gave up a two-run home run to Garrett Pennington. Hungate retired the next three batters to get out of the inning but then gave up a leadoff triple and a sacrifice fly in the seventh to make it 10-5 NC State.

The Wolfpack put the nail in the coffin in the top of the eighth, as Luke Nixon took Matt Augustin deep to right field for a three-run home run.

After Harrison Didawick's solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, the Virginia offense never scored again, managing just four total baserunners over the final five innings of the game.

With the loss, Virginia loses a series that took place the weekend following exam break for the first time since 2008, ending a streak of 14-straight series wins after the exam break. UVA is now 3-3 in rubber matches in ACC play this season.

Up next, Virginia remains at home for its final series of the regular season as Virginia Tech comes to Charlottesville next weekend for the Commonwealth Clash. Game 1 is set for Thursday at 6pm at Disharoon Park, with game 2 following on Friday at 6pm, and the regular season concluding on Saturday at 5pm. The first two games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra, while the finale will be broadcast on the ACC Network.

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Matt Newton

MATT NEWTON

Managing Editor and Publisher, CavaliersNow Email: mattnewton@virginia.eduTwitter: @mattynewtssWebsite | LinkedIn | Instagram Matt Newton is the managing editor and publisher at CavaliersNow. He has been covering UVA athletics since 2019 and has been the managing editor at CavaliersNow since launching the site in August 2021. Matt covers all things UVA sports, including Virginia basketball and football news and recruiting, former Wahoos in the pros, and coverage of all 23 of the NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. A native of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Matt grew up a huge Philadelphia sports fan, but has also been a UVA sports fanatic his entire life thanks to his parents, who are alums of the University of Virginia. Matt followed in his parents' footsteps and attended UVA from 2017-2021, graduating with a degree in Media Studies and a minor in Economics in May of 2021.