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April 26, 2003
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The University of Virginia baseball team pounded out 18 hits and scored 13 runs en route to a convincing 13-2 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the second contest of a three-game ACC series at WFU’s Gene Hooks Stadium. UVa’s Mark Reynolds went 3-for-6 at the plate with six RBI and scored three runs after hitting two three-run home runs (his eighth and ninth HR’s of the year) and the Cavaliers’ Chris Gale and Greg Hansard kept the Demon Deacons’ bats quiet all afternoon in Virginia’s victory.
UVa’s win broke an eight-game losing streak to Wake Forest and the victory was Virginia’s first win in Winston-Salem, N.C. since the Cavaliers claimed a 7-6 decision back on April 6, 1997. The victory, UVa’s 25th of the season, equals Virginia’s season win totals from the last two years (2001 and 2002). The victory also ties UVa’s ACC win total from 2002 with eight victories.
Virginia wasted no time and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Mark Reynolds blasted a three-run home run to left-center field. Reynolds’ home run, his eighth of the season, drove in Matt Street (single) and Matt Dunn (walk) to give the Cavaliers a lead it would not relinquish.
Wake Forest responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the first inning and made it a 3-2 contest after back-to-back RBI-singles by Ryan Johnson and Jamie D’Antona. Johnson’s single drove in Adam Bourassa and D’Antona’s single plated Ryan Hubbard. UVa got out of the inning without any further damage when WFU’s Ben Ingold grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and one out and the Demon Deacons would not score again.
Virginia tacked on three more runs in the top of the third inning and extended its lead to 6-2. Chris Sweet got things started when he laid down a RBI-single on a bunt to the pitcher that drove in Reynolds (single) to score a run from third base. In Virginia’s next at-bat, Paul Gillispie executed a hit-and-run situation when he sent a RBI-single into right field to drive in Joe Koshansky who walked to get on base. Scott Headd recorded UVa’s third consecutive RBI-single in the inning when he sent a ball up the middle to drive in Sweet, giving the Cavaliers a 6-2 lead.
UVa pushed its lead to 8-2 in the top of the sixth inning when Ryan Zimmerman connected on a two-run RBI-single through the left side to drive in Werman (hit by pitch) and Dunn (single). Zimmerman’s single gave the Cavaliers a six-run lead through five and a half innings of play.
The Cavaliers kept the scoring coming and added a run in the top of the seventh inning to make it a 9-2 contest following a RBI-single through the left side by Street to drive in Werman after he reached base on a WFU error. Virginia scored another run in the top of the eighth inning when Sweet plated Koshansky on a fielder’s choice to make the score 10-2 through seven and a half innings of baseball.
UVa posted three more runs in the top of the ninth inning to pull ahead 13-2 courtesy of another three-run home run by Reynolds, his second three-run homer of the game. Reynolds’ second HR in the contest was his ninth of the season.
UVa starting pitcher Chris Gale (3-4) picked up his fourth win of the season after going 6.2 innings and allowed just two runs on six hits to go along with two strikeouts. Hansard pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the game.
WFU starting pitcher Seth Hill (2-5) took the loss and lasted just 2.1 innings before being pulled off of the mound after surrendering six runs on seven hits and walked two batters.
With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 25-17 overall, 8-8 in the ACC. The loss drops Wake Forest’s record to 26-16 overall, 8-11 in the conference. UVa ties the series with WFU at 1-1 with the win.
The Cavaliers and Demon Deacons will return to action on Sunday, April 27th when Virginia and Wake Forest play the final contest of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 PM at WFU’s Gene Hooks Stadium.
— UVa —