Will Roberts Throws First Perfect Game in Virginia History

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Will Roberts (Jr., Richmond, Va.) recorded the eighth nine-inning perfect game in NCAA Division I baseball (since 1957) to lead the top-ranked Virginia baseball team to a 2-0 victory over George Washington Tuesday at Davenport Field. Roberts recorded 27 straight outs and needed just 98 pitches to earn the second perfect game in ACC history.

It is the 24th perfect game of any length in NCAA Division I history, the first for any pitcher in Division I since 2003 and the first in the Virginia annals. Lost in the shuffle – it also was the 2,000th victory in UVa program history.

Roberts tossed nine perfect innings and tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. It was the first complete game of Roberts’ career; his previous career high was 7.2 innings, set earlier this season against Niagara.

Roberts is just the second ACC pitcher to notch a perfect game. Maryland’s Dick Reitz posted the only other perfect game since 1959 on April 10, 1959, against Johns Hopkins. It marks the first perfect game in Division I baseball since March 2, 2002, when Auburn’s Eric Brandon recorded 27 straight outs in a perfect game against Murray State. The full list of NCAA Division I perfect games since 1957 appears at the bottom of this release.

It is the first no-hitter at Virginia since Mike Ballard no-hit Boston College on April 16, 2006, at Davenport Field.

Roberts (5-0) also is the first Virginia pitcher to toss a shutout since Jacob Thompson on April 27, 2007, against Maryland. The 2-0 victory marks the eighth shutout for the Virginia pitching staff this season, which is just three shy of the school and ACC season record of 11 held by the 2005 Virginia team and the 1977 Clemson squad.

Roberts was rarely tested on Wednesday. In addition to his 10 strikeouts, Roberts recorded 14 groundouts and three flyouts – only one ball left the infield, a fifth-inning fly ball to right field by Tyler McCarthy.

The closest thing to a hit came in the eighth inning when McCarthy hit a rocket back to Roberts, who knocked the ball down, recovered to locate the ball and threw to first to get the out. Outside of that, Roberts and his defense was rarely tested. Second baseman Keith Werman (Jr., Vienna, Va.) was the busiest Cavalier defender of the evening, with a pair of putouts as well as seven assists, including the all-important 27th out.

Virginia (25-2) scored the only runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning following a single by Ryan Levine (So., Hackensack, N.J.) and walk by Kenny Swab (Sr., Kernersville, N.C.). A bunt single by David Coleman (Sr., Richmond, Va.) then loaded the bases. Reed Gragnani (So., Richmond, Va.) grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Levine, and a balk by George Washington pitcher Kenny O’Brien brought in Swab to make the score 2-0.

In a game headlined by the starting pitching performance, Virginia was led offensively by Levine, who went 2-for-4 and scored one run. John Barr (Sr., Ivyland, Pa.) and Steven Proscia (Jr., Suffern, N.Y.) also reached base twice, with a single and walk apiece. Kenny Swab reached base twice by being hit by a pitch and drawing a walk. Swab also scored a run.

George Washington starting pitcher Tom Gately (2-3) went three innings in which he was tested early by scattered Virginia hits, and was charged with two runs. He recorded one strikeout and two walks. The Colonials fell to 7-18 with the defeat.

The Cavaliers return to action this weekend in a three-game road matchup with in-state rival Virginia Tech. The action will take place at 5:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday in Blacksburg.

24 NCAA Division I Perfect Games (since 1957)
Player, Team vs. Opponent, Date
Will Roberts, Virginia vs. George Washington, March 29, 2011
Greg Prenger, Ohio St. vs. Oakland (7 inn.) April 9, 2003
Eric Brandon, Auburn vs. Murray State, March 2, 2002
Chad Blackwell, Iowa vs. Northwestern (7 inn.), April 29, 2000
John Stewart, Western Mich. vs. Akron (7 inn.), 1997
Chris McConnell, St. Francis (NY) vs. Marist, 1996
Jason Johnson, Auburn vs. LaGrange (7 inn.), April 30, 1991
Mark Bowlan, Memphis vs. Louisville May 3, 1987
Kevin Sheary, Miami (FL) vs. Southern Ill. March 14, 1987
Cliff Faust, Nebraska vs. Kansas (7 inn.), May 3, 1980
Joe Housey, New Orleans vs. Southeastern La. (7 inn.), April 19, 1980
Joe McIntosh, Washington St. vs. Whitworth (7 inn.), March 10, 1973
Eddie Bane, Arizona St. vs. CSUN March 2, 1973
Jim Jacobsen, Oklahoma St. vs. Houston (5 inn.), March 20, 1972
Bill Balfoort, Buffalo vs. Rochester (NY) (7 inn.), April 17, 1971
Larry Angell, Washington St. vs. Eastern Wash. (7 inn.), March 26, 1971
Rick Austin, Washington St. vs. Gonzaga (7 inn.), March 22, 1968
Bruce Baudier, LSU vs. Alabama (7 inn.), May 5, 1967
Larry Gonsalves, Fresno St. vs. Cal Poly, 1967
Bob Schauenberg, Iowa vs. Central (IA), April 20, 1965
Jerry Anderson, Murray St. vs. Austin Peay April 20, 1965
Don Woeltjen, Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, May 3, 1963
Bobby Noel, BYU vs. Montana (7 inn.) April 18, 1961
Dick Reitz, Maryland vs. Johns Hopkins, April 10, 1959

*Release amended in 2020 to reflect further research done by the NCAA.