No. 1 Cavaliers Play Host to No. 20 Virginia Tech This Weekend
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VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (27-8, 10-5 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – LHP Danny Hultzen (5-1, 2.04 ERA)
Sat. – RHP Robert Morey (4-2, 4.40 ERA)
Sun. – RHP Cody Winiarski (4-0, 4.70 ERA)
VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (24-11, 8-7 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – LHP Justin Wright (4-3, 4.02 ERA)
Sat. – RHP Matthew Price (4-2, 5.75 ERA)
Sun. – RHP Jesse Hahn (5-2, 2.28 ERA)
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The top-ranked Virginia baseball team will entertain 20th-ranked Virginia Tech in a three-game ACC series this weekend at Davenport Field. The first-ever series between the rivals when both are ranked begins at 7 p.m. Friday and will be followed by games at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
All three games will be broadcast live on WINA 1070-AM in Charlottesville and with a V Pass subscription at VirginiaSports.com. Live statistics also will be available at VirginiaSports.com.
As of Thursday afternoon, fewer than 750 tickets remained for the Friday night game, while fewer than 200 tickets were left for the Saturday contest and fewer than 500 for the Sunday game.
Virginia (27-8, 10-5 ACC) has won four of its five ACC series this season. Three of the series wins have come against Top-10 opponents – Florida State, Clemson and Georgia Tech. UVa has been especially tough at home this season, going 20-3 thus far.
After his 20th multiple-hit game of the season on Wednesday night, Phil Gosselin (Jr., West Chester, Pa.) ranks sixth in the ACC with a .393 batting average. Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) ranks ninth in the ACC with a .383 average. Stephen Bruno (Fr., Audubon, N.J.) enters the weekend with a 15-game hitting streak, which is the longest by a Virginia freshman since Brandon Guyer recorded hits in 15 straight games in 2005.
Virginia is tied with Georgia Tech for the ACC lead in batting with a .341 average, while the Cavaliers rank fourth in the conference with a 3.89 team ERA.
Virginia Tech (24-11, 8-7) is one of the ACC’s hottest teams following series wins over Florida State and Miami the last two weeks. Austin Wates leads the conference with a .416 batting average, while Steve Domecus has a team-high nine homers and 14 doubles to go along with a .360 batting average.
The Hokies are batting .330 as a team (fourth in the ACC) and also have a 4.16 team ERA (fifth in the conference).
The teams played an entertaining series last year in Blacksburg, with Virginia Tech breaking a 12-game losing streak to the Cavaliers by winning two of three games for their first ACC series win over UVa. The Hokies earned a pair of one-run wins before UVa picked up a 6-4 victory in the series finale. Virginia owns an 83-74 edge in the all-time series.
Davenport Field has a seating capacity of 4,219 after the addition of 679 General Admission seats last week. Fans planning to attend games this weekend are strongly encouraged to arrive early and purchase tickets ahead of time online at VirginiaSports.com to avoid lines. The ticket booth and gates to Davenport Field will open two hours prior to first pitch each day.
Tickets may be ordered online at VirginiaSports.com, in person at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium or by phone at (800) 542-UVA1. General Admission seating is available in the left-field bleachers, the first baseline bleachers and on the grass hillside.
General Admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and under), seniors (60 and older) and faculty/staff (limit two per faculty/staff). Advance ticket sales online and by phone end four hours prior to the game. Reserved tickets, if turned in by season ticket holders for resale, are available for purchase on game day and are $9 for adults and $5 for UVa faculty/staff (limit 2 per faculty staff).
Parking will be available in the University Hall, Cage and John Paul Jones Arena lots as well as the Emmet-Ivy Garage.
With the addition of the first-baseline bleachers, a new grill stand and merchandise stand have been added behind the bleachers.
Friday, the fourth of five UVa baseball card sets will be available while supplies last. Saturday, the first 4,000 fans will receive a Turn Tech Blue t-shirt.