Story Links


VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (38-3, 16-2 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri.
– LHP Danny Hultzen (8-0, 1.17 ERA)
Sat. – RHP Tyler Wilson (4-0, 2.63 ERA)
Sun. – RHP Will Roberts (8-0, 1.11 ERA)

NC STATE WOLFPACK (23-16, 8-10 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri.
– RHP Rob Chamra (5-0, 4.35 ERA)
Sat. – RHP Cory Mazzoni (3-4, 4.19 ERA)
Sun. – LHP Grant Sasser (1-2, 2.42 ERA)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Two red-hot teams will square off this weekend as the No. 1-ranked Virginia baseball team faces ACC rival North Carolina State in a three-game series at Davenport Field. The teams are scheduled to play at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by 1 p.m. contests Saturday and Sunday.

Virginia (38-3, 16-2 ACC) has won seven straight games entering the weekend series, while NC State (23-16, 8-10) swept then-No. 5 North Carolina last weekend and has rolled off five straight victories.

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

The ACC’s Regional Sports Networks (Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic in the Charlottesville area and Virginia) will televise the Saturday game. Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Carolinas and Fox Sports Florida also will broadcast the game. NESN will pick up the contest on tape delay at 3 p.m. Saturday.

WINA 1070-AM will carry the radio broadcast of the Saturday game, in addition to VirginiaSports.com. Because of the Virginia men’s lacrosse game at the ACC tournament, the Friday Virginia-NC State game will be broadcast on the internet only. If the UVa men’s lacrosse team reaches the ACC Championship, the Sunday baseball game will be carried on the internet only; otherwise the game also will air on WINA.

Because of an event at John Paul Jones Arena Friday and Saturday, the JPJA lots will not be available for baseball parking those days. Baseball patrons may park in the University Hall lots as well as the Emmet-Ivy Garage on Friday and Saturday.

The first 50 UVa students to pass through the gates on Friday will receive a free hot dog and soda coupon. Another baseball card giveaway also will be featured on Friday.

Saturday is Military Appreciation Day. UVa will be wearing special camouflage jerseys and hats in honor of our nation’s military. All retired and active military will receive a reduced rate general admission of $5 by presenting their ID (subject to ticket availability).

Sunday is Family Day – purchase four general admission tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $36. Also on Sunday, area little leagues may purchase reduced rate general admission for $5. Coaches should call 800-542-UVA1 in advance to order for their team (not available on game day). There also will be autographs, running of the bases and an Easter candy dash on the field after the Sunday game.

NC State handed Virginia its lone ACC series loss in 2010, taking two of three games from the Cavaliers April 2-4, 2010, in Raleigh. Since that series defeat the Cavaliers have captured 12 straight conference series, including seven by sweeps.

Virginia comes into the weekend hot at the plate. In the month of April, the Cavaliers are batting .350 as a team, highlighted by David Coleman, who is hitting .564 (22-for-39) for the month. UVa has posted at least 10 hits in 13 of the last 14 games (the exception was the 5-inning rain-shortened game vs. Georgetown).

The Cavaliers have recorded 180 hits, including 38 doubles, five triples and eight homers, in the last 14 games. Six Cavalier regulars are hitting over .300 during that span, including a pair over .400 – Coleman (.564) and Steven Proscia (.415). Reed Gragnani is batting .395 in April.

Virginia continues to excel on the mound as well. UVa 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. The Cavaliers stand in the top-10 in all of those categories as of the Monday NCAA report: ERA (7th, 2.35), strikeouts/nine innings (1st, 10.5), fewest hits/nine innings (3rd, 6.78), fewest walks/nine innings (2nd, 2.07).

UVa also is ranked second nationally in fielding (.983), behind San Francisco (.984).

NC State is led offensively by Pratt Maynard, who is batting .359 (eighth in the ACC) with a team-high 30 RBI. Chris Diaz is batting .346. The Wolfpack is batting .280 as a team (eighth in the ACC), owns a 4.44 team ERA (seventh in the ACC) and has a .972 fielding percentage (sixth in the conference).

NC State holds a 119-66-1 edge in the all-time series against Virginia. UVa won two of three games against the Wolfpack in 2009 in Charlottesville – the Cavaliers’ first series win against NC State since March 23-25, 2001.

Print Friendly Version