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No. 1 Cavaliers Blank Boston College 4-0 to Win Series
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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Will Roberts (Jr., Richmond, Va.) tossed eight shutout innings and John Hicks (Jr., Sandy Hook, Va.) knocked in three runs to propel the No. 1-ranked Virginia baseball team to a 4-0 win over Boston College Sunday afternoon at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at Commander Shea Field in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Virginia captured two of three games for the series win.
Virginia (42-5, 20-4 ACC) built on its ACC record with its 14th shutout of the season while clinching its 14th straight ACC series win, including all eight this season. Boston College dropped to 16-26 overall and 7-16 in the ACC.
Roberts (9-0) scattered four hits and a pair of walks while striking out six in lowering his season ERA to 1.43. He got stronger as the game progressed and retired the final 10 batters he faced. Only two baserunners reached second base against him, while the Eagles did not have more than one baserunner in any inning. Branden Kline (So., Frederick, Md.) pitched the ninth inning to close things out for the Cavaliers.
The top four in UVa’s batting order combined do most of the damage, with seven of the Cavaliers’ eight hits. Hicks finished 2-for-3, while John Barr (Sr., Ivyland, Pa.) and Steven Proscia (Jr., Suffern, N.Y.) each had a pair of hits. Barr and Chris Taylor (So., Virginia Beach, Va.) each scored twice to account for all of Virginia’s runs.
Boston College starter Dave Laufer (0-2) worked the first inning and gave up an unearned run as well as a hit and walk in taking the loss. BC finished with four hits, while no player had more than one.
The Cavaliers took advantage of a leadoff walk to Taylor in the first inning to score the game’s first run. Taylor moved to second on a passed ball. After a groundout moved him to third, Hicks flied out to center field to bring in the run.
Boston College’s best scoring opportunity came in the fourth inning. The Eagles got a one-out triple from Andrew Lawrence. Mike Sudol followed with a flyout to shallow center, and Kenny Swab (Sr., Kernersville, N.C.) made the catch and fired the ball to the plate to nail Lawrence in a close play to keep the score at 1-0.
In the fifth inning the Cavaliers got back-to-back one-out singles from Taylor and Barr against reliever Nate Bayuk before Hicks doubled down the left-field line to bring both home and give UVa a 3-0 edge.
UVa added an insurance run in the ninth. Barr was hit by an Eric Stevens pitch with one out and then was running when Hicks ripped a single to left. Barr slid in safely at third, but Hicks was tossed out at second as he tried to advance. Proscia roped a single to left-center on the next pitch to plate the run.
Virginia travels to VCU Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. game at The Diamond before taking a nine-day break for final exams. The Cavaliers return home May 13-15 for a three-game series with No. 14 Miami.