Virginia Shuts Down Clemson, 3-1, to Win Series

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Cody Winiarski (Jr., Franksville, Wis.) recorded his best start at Virginia, pitching six innings of one-run baseball as the top-ranked Cavalier baseball team downed Clemson, 3-1, Saturday night in the second game of a doubleheader at Davenport Field. With the win, Virginia (20-4, 7-2 ACC) earned a 2-1 series victory – the Cavaliers’ third straight ACC series win this year.

Clemson, ranked as high as No. 5 nationally, dropped to 18-6 overall and 7-2 in the ACC. Virginia drew 3,012 fans for the second game of the doubleheader and brought in 6,552 specators for the doubleheader after a school-record 3,540 came out for the opener.

Winiarski (3-0) pitched six innings, allowing one earned run, six hits and four walks while striking out four. Tyler Wilson (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings before Kevin Arico (Jr., Flemington, N.J.) got the final four outs to notch his eighth save of the year and his 19th career save. With the save Arico moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time UVa saves ledger. The three combined to limit the Tigers to seven hits – all singles.

Scott Weismann (3-1) started for Clemson and took the loss after giving up three earned runs and six hits while striking out two in seven innings.

The two teams combined for just 13 hits in the pitchers’ duel. Phil Gosselin (Jr., West Chester, Pa.) was the lone Cavalier to record two hits. Kenny Swab (Jr., Kernersville, N.C.) and Franco Valdes (Sr., Miami, Fla.) each hit solo home runs for the Cavaliers.

Virginia’s Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) hit a second-inning single to stretch his career-best hitting streak to 16 games.

Clemson scored a run in the opening inning. Mike Freeman singled with one out and then moved up on a Winiarski wild pitch. He scored when Kyle Parker blooped a single to center.

Virginia scored a pair of runs in the third inning to take the lead. Valdes led off with a rocket down the left-field line which stayed just inside the foul pole for a home run. It marked Valdes’ first homer of the season. Danny Hultzen (So., Bethesda, Md.) followed with a double to left field, and he advanced on a flyout to right field from Gosselin. Keith Werman (So., Vienna, Va.) then lifted a foul fly to left for a sacrifice fly to plate Hultzen.

In the fifth inning Swab hit his second home run of the doubleheader, a solo shot which cleared the bleachers in left-center field.

Virginia’s pitching stifled the Clemson bats the rest of the way. After the third inning, the Tigers posted just three hits and failed to advance a runner past first base.

Virginia concludes its nine-game homestand this week with a two-game midweek series with Towson. The teams will play at 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.