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VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (21-2, 5-1 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. –
LHP Danny Hultzen (4-0, 1.05 ERA)
Sat. G1 –
RHP Tyler Wilson (3-0, 2.54 ERA)
Sat. G2 –
RHP Cody Winiarski (2-1, 3.76 ERA)

MARYLAND TERRAPINS (11-10, 1-5 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri.
– TBA
Sat. G1 – RHP David Carroll (4-1, 2.84 ERA)
Sat. G2 – LHP Eric Potter (2-2, 3.13 ERA)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The third-ranked Virginia baseball team continues its homestand this weekend when it plays a three-game series with Maryland at Davenport Field. Game one of the series is slated for 6 p.m. Friday. The teams will play two games Saturday, starting with a 1 p.m. contest. The second game will start approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one. The teams were originally scheduled to play single games on Saturday and Sunday, but a forecast for inclement weather Sunday prompted the change to a Saturday doubleheader (view date change article here).

Live streaming video as well as audio broadcasts will be available for all three games at VirginiaSports.com. Fans will need to purchase a subscription to view or listen to the games. Live statistics also will be provided at VirginiaSports.com.

The Friday game will be broadcast live locally on WINA 1070-AM, in addition to VirginiaSports.com. The Saturday doubleheader will be broadcast on the internet only.

Free coffee and hot chocolate will be available all weekend. The first 50 UVa students to pass through the gates on Friday will receive a free hot dog and soda coupon. Saturday, the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents will be on hand.

Virginia (21-2, 5-1 ACC) recorded shutouts in both of its midweek games against Towson, winning 6-0 Tuesday and 5-0 Wednesday. The Cavaliers lowered their team ERA to an ACC-low 2.08. UVa upped its shutout total to seven this season – more than the last two seasons combined (6) and just four shy of the school and ACC single-season record of 11, set in 2005 by Virginia and 1977 by Clemson.

Virginia’s strong start has been fueled by a tandem of pitching and defense. UVa has allowed just 2.5 runs per game, third fewest in Division I. Texas A&M (2.1) and UCLA (2.3) are the only teams to allow fewer runs per game.

Virginia is the lone team to rank among the top 20 nationally in ERA, strikeouts per nine innings and fewest hits and walks allowed per nine innings. UVa’s ranks in those categories as of the Monday report: ERA (13th, 2.27), strikeouts (2nd, 10.8), fewest hits/9 innings (7th, 6.68), fewest walks/9 innings (17th, 2.37).

The Cavaliers’ probable pitching rotation for the weekend is LHP Danny Hultzen (Jr., Bethesda, Md.) on Friday, RHP Tyler Wilson (Sr., Midlothian, Va.) in game one on Saturday and RHP Cody Winiarski (Sr., Franksville, Wis.) in game two Saturday. Hultzen leads the nation in strikeouts this season with 62 and has fanned at least 10 batters in each of his five starts this year (16.27 strikeouts per nine innings). He broke the Virginia career strikeouts record last week. With 292 career strikeouts Hultzen passed Seth Greisinger (1994-96), who had 290.

Virginia owns a .985 fielding percentage this season; UVa entered the week at .984, which was third best nationally (San Francisco, .987; Texas A&M, .985). The Cavaliers set a school record in 2010 with a .977 fielding percentage.

At the plate Virginia is batting .300, led by John Hicks (Jr., Sandy Hook, Va.), who enters the weekend on a 10-game hitting streak which has boosted his batting average to .404. He also is hitting .407 in ACC games this season. Steven Proscia (Jr., Suffern, N.Y.) is batting a team-leading .423 (11-for-26) in ACC games and stands at an even .300 overall for the season.

The new-look Terrapins (11-10, 1-5) lost two of three games at home to Boston College last weekend before topping George Washington, 8-2, Tuesday in College Park. Maryland welcomed 22 newcomers this season, with just two returning players back among the position starters. Ryan Holland leads the team with a .359 batting average, while Charlie White is hitting .328. Maryland owns a .246 batting average, which ranks 10th in the ACC, and a 4.38 team ERA, which is ninth in the conference.

Virginia owns a 101-73-1 lead in the all-time series with Maryland – it marks UVa’s most wins against any ACC opponent. The Cavaliers have posted a 20-1 record against Maryland under the current coaching staff (since 2004) – the only loss came April 4, 2009, at Davenport Field. UVa swept the Terrapins last year in College Park (5-1, 27-4, 11-2).

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