No. 16 Baseball Plays Host to Wake Forest This Weekend

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. The Virginia baseball team entertains Wake Forest this weekend in a three-game series at Davenport Field. Friday and Saturday, first pitch will be at 6 p.m., while the Sunday contest starts at 1 p.m.

For the Sunday game, fewer than 500 general-admission tickets remain, and fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and under) and senior citizens (60 and older). A limited number of reserved seat tickets may be available for $9 beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday if reserved seat season ticket holders return tickets for that game.

Virginia (29-10, 11-7 ACC) had its five-game winning streak snapped Tuesday vs. No. 19 Coastal Carolina, as the Chanticleers snapped a 3-all tie in the eighth inning on their way to an 8-3 win. Wake Forest (14-22, 6-11) split its midweek games this week, losing 9-3 Tuesday at Davidson before gaining a 10-8 win over Winthrop Wednesday.

The probable pitching matchups for the weekend are: Friday, Virginia LHP Pat McAnaney (4-1, 2.04 ERA) vs. Wake Forest LHP Garrett Bullock (3-3, 5.93); Saturday, UVa RHP Jacob Thompson (4-1, 4.34) vs. Wake RHP Charlie Mellies (0-4, 6.23); Sunday, UVa RHP Andrew Carraway (3-2, 2.86) vs. Wake RHP Ben Hunter (1-5, 6.34).

Dan Grovatt (Fr., Tabernacle, N.J.) continues to lead the Cavaliers in hitting with a .364 batting average. Jeremy Farrell (Jr., Westlake, Ohio) is second with a .346 average and leads the team with seven home runs.

Both teams boast a wealth of speed. The Cavaliers lead the ACC and rank fourth nationally with 87 stolen bases. Wake Forest also is dangerous on the basepaths with 56 stolen bases third in the ACC. The Demon Deacons are extremely successful as well when they run and have been thrown out attempting to steal just nine times.

Allen Dykstra leads the Demon Deacons with nine home runs and a .319 batting average. Dustin Hood is batting .317, while Brett Linnenkohl is among the ACC leaders with 15 stolen bases (in 15 attempts).

Wake Forest leads the series, 82-65, and won two of three last season against the Cavaliers in Winston-Salem. The teams have split the last 12 meetings.

Virginia continues its six-game homestand at 6 p.m. Tuesday as it plays host to Georgetown.