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Virginia Wins Sixth Consecutive Game With 15-1 Rout Of Coppin State
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March 16, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia Cavaliers (14-6) pounded out 17 hits and scored a season-high 15 runs in a 15-1 rout over Coppin State (6-14) in a non-conference game at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium. The Cavaliers’ Ryan Zimmerman went 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI and scored two runs and first-year starting pitcher Pat McAnaney recorded his first collegiate victory on the mound in the 14-run win. The victory was Virginia’s sixth consecutive win and its 12th in 13 contests at home this season. UVa’s current six-game winning streak matches its season long after the Cavaliers posted six consecutive victories earlier this season from February 18-26.
“Today was a good win for us going into the Maryland series (March 18-20),” said UVa head baseball coach Brian O’Connor. “This weekend is a critical ACC series for us and I thought our guys came out and played hard and played the game the right way today.”
In the bottom of the third inning, the Cavaliers scored the first run of the game and took a 1-0 lead when Tim Henry walked before scoring a run two batters later on a RBI-double to right-center field by ran Zimmerman. The Eagles answered right back and scored a run of their own to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Paul Conway singled before scoring a run two batters later on a RBI-single to left field by Brian Vickers. But it was all Virginia after that as the Cavaliers would score the next 14 runs of the game.
UVa pulled ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning and took a 3-1 lead when Brandon Guyer and Scott Headd hit back-to-back singles to lead off the side before each baserunner scored on a two-run RBI-single to center field by Patrick Wingfield.
Virginia extended its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning by tacking on three more runs. Matt Street singled through the right side before Zimmerman belted a two-run home run to left field to make it 5-1. Zimmerman’s home run was his second of the season. UVa added another run to make 6-1 when Guyer scored a run on an Eagle error when he reached base after being hit by a pitch and advancing to second on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Virginia broke the game wide open by scoring four more runs to take a 10-1 lead. Four of the first five Cavaliers that stepped to the plate reached base and scored a run and Street, Sean Doolittle and Headd all posted an RBI in the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, UVa extended its lead to 15-1 by added five more runs to its total. The inning was highlighted by two-run RBI-single to center field by Ryan Hudson and the trio of Street, Joe Florio and Wingfield all added an RBI in the side.
Virginia’s 15 runs were the most runs scored by the Cavaliers since April 21, 2004 when UVa scored 21 runs in a 21-10 victory over Virginia Tech.
UVa’s McAnaney (1-0) went 5.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits and struck out two batters. The Cavaliers’ Ryan Ouellette, Michael Schwimer, Sean Doolittle and Alex Smith each pitched an inning of scoreless baseball in relief duty. The Eagles’ Alex Hangland (0-4) took the loss after going 3.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits to go along with one strikeout.
With the victory, Virginia’s record improves to 14-6 overall. The loss drops Coppin State’s record to 6-14 on the season.
Virginia will continue its 10-game home stand and will return to action on March 18-20 when the Cavaliers host the Maryland Terrapins in a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series. Virginia and Maryland are scheduled to play on Friday, March 18th at 5:00 PM, Saturday, March 19th at 4:00 PM and Sunday, March 20th at 1:00 PM. All three games will be played at Davenport Field at the UVa Baseball Stadium.
— UVa —