No. 24 Baseball Welcomes Longwood, Liberty for Midweek Games
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia baseball team returns home for two midweek games this week, as Longwood and Liberty come to Davenport Field for 6 p.m. games Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Virginia is 3-0 this season against its fellow schools from the Commonwealth.
Virginia (24-9) is riding a four-game losing streak with three of the games decided by one run. The Cavaliers were swept over the weekend at No. 2 Florida State and suffered a pair of 3-2, 10-inning losses Sunday in a doubleheader.
The Cavaliers struggled at the plate over the weekend, hitting just .217 as a team. Patrick Wingfield (Sr., Winchester, Va.) had a solid weekend, batting .400 (4-for-10) with two walks and a stolen base, while Jarrett Parker (Fr., Stafford, Va.) also hit well (.364, 4-for-11).
After allowing 10 runs in the opening game at FSU, the Virginia pitching staff buckled down in the final two games. UVa held the Seminoles, the nation’s top hitting team, to just seven hits Saturday and eight hits Sunday.
Longwood is 18-12 overall this season. The Lancers split a doubleheader Saturday at James Madison. Phil Cerreto leads the team with a .414 batting average. Virginia leads the series, 9-2. The teams met March 28 last season, a 4-3 walkoff UVa win. Longwood’s last win in series was in 1984 (2-1).
Liberty is 14-15 overall and 3-3 in the Big South. The Flames play host to James Madison Tuesday before coming to Charlottesville. Liberty is coming off a good weekend where it won two of three at UNC Asheville. Cody Brown has a team-high .387 batting average and 24 RBI.
Virginia leads the series with Liberty, 22-14-1, although the teams have not met since 2005 when UVa won 10-2 in Lynchburg. Only two current Cavaliers saw action in that game starting pitcher Pat McAnaney (W, 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and Robert Poutier (2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K).
This will be Liberty’s first trip to Charlottesville since 2004. UVa has won six straight vs. Liberty dating to a 2001 loss.
Wednesday night is 80’s Night at the ballpark, with $1 hot dogs (while supplies last), $1 popcorn and $1 small sodas available. Fans will be treated to 80’s-era music and trivia all night long.
Virginia returns to ACC play this weekend when it travels to Maryland for a three-game series.