Barr Two-Run Double Ignites Rally, 4-2 Baseball Win Over Wake
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. John Barr’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning gave the No. 16 Virginia baseball team a lead it would not relinquish as the Cavaliers topped Wake Forest, 4-2, Friday night at Davenport Field.
Virginia (30-10, 12-7 ACC) fell behind early, but used strong pitching from Pat McAnaney (Sr., Syracuse, N.Y.), Neal Davis (So., Baltimore, Md.) and Michael Schwimer (Sr., Alexandria, Va.) to hold the Demon Deacons (14-23, 6-12) at bay and set up the comeback. After McAnaney exited in the sixth inning, Wake Forest did not record a hit.
Davis (3-0) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief as he lowered his ERA to 0.59. Schwimer pitched a perfect ninth to earn his ACC-best 11th save. McAnaney started and allowed two earned runs, five hits and two walks while striking out three. Wake Forest starter Garrett Bullock (3-4) took the loss after giving up three earned runs, seven hits and four walks in 5.2 innings.
Virginia’s Greg Miclat (Jr., Concord, N.C.) had a team-high three hits and drove in a run, while David Adams (Jr., Margate, Fla.) also drove in a run. Willy Fox homered and drove in both of the Demon Deacons’ runs.
Wake jumped out to an early lead just two batters into the game on Fox’s two-run home run to the top row of bleachers in left field.
Virginia started its comeback in the third inning. Miclat led off with a single, stole second and aggressively moved to third on a flyout to center. He scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Adams.
The Cavaliers took the lead in the sixth inning. After Dan Grovatt (Fr. Tabernacle, N.J.) walked and Tyler Biddix (Fr., Richmond, Va.) singled with one out, Franco Valdes (So., Miami, Fla.) hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners. Barr then ripped a double to the wall in left field which plated both runners and gave UVa a 3-2 lead.
Virginia added a score in the eighth inning on a Miclat single to plate Barr, who walked to lead off the inning.
The teams play game two of the series at 6 p.m. Saturday.