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#19 Virginia Bounces Back To Defeat North Carolina, 6-2
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March 21, 2004
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The #19 ranked University of Virginia baseball team snapped a three-game losing streak and won the third and final contest of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series by recording a 6-2 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium. The Cavaliers were able to build a 6-0 lead after eight innings of play and rode the strong arm and the key hitting from starting LHP/DH Joe Koshansky to a four-run victory over the Tar Heels. Koshansky pitched 8.0 scoreless innings and struck out five batters and finished 2-for-5 at the plate (home run, double) with four RBI and scored one run in the win.
Virginia posted its first lead of the series and took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Ryan Zimmerman (3-for-5, 2 runs) hit a two-out single through the right side before scoring a run in the Cavaliers’ next at-bat on a RBI-double to left-center field by Koshansky. UVa added to its 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning and pushed its lead to 2-0 when Matt Street (0-for-2, 1 run) was hit by a pitch to reach base and eventually came around to score a run on a RBI ground-out by Koshansky.
The Cavaliers maintained their two-run lead and added four more runs to their total in the bottom of the seventh inning when Virginia increased its lead to 6-0 thanks to a four-run side sparked by two home runs and a double. UVa’s Mark Reynolds (1-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run) lifted the Cavaliers to a 3-0 advantage with a lead-off, solo home run to right-center field. Reynolds’ home run was his sixth of the season. After a Zimmerman double in Virginia’s next at-bat, Koshansky connected on a two-run home run to right-center field to make it a 5-0 contest. Koshansky’s home run was his team-leading ninth of the year. UVa’s Scott Headd (1-for-4, 1 run) later doubled to left field and scored Virginia’s final run of the game on a RBI-single to left field by Tim Henry (2-for3, 1 RBI).
The Tar Heels scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and cut the lead to 6-2 on after a two-run home run by Sammy Hewitt. But that would be all the scoring UNC would muster as UVa posted a 6-2 victory.
The Cavaliers’ Koshansky (4-0) picked up his team-leading fourth win of the season on the mound. The LHP struck out a game-high five batters and scattered just three hits in 8.0 scoreless innings of work and kept the Tar Heels’ bats quiet all afternoon. UNC’s Andrew Miller (2-2) took the loss after going 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out a team-high four batters.
With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 18-5 overall, 4-2 in the ACC. The loss drops North Carolina’s record to 16-5 overall, 2-1 in the conference. The Tar Heels won the three-game series, two games to one.
UVa will return to action on Wednesday, March 24th when the Cavaliers travel to Fairfax, Va. to face the George Mason Patriots in a non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 PM. UNC will return to home action on Tuesday, March 23rd when North Carolina hosts Towson in a non-conference contest. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
— UVa —