No. 21 Cavaliers Down Georgia Tech, 4-2, to Clinch Series

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 21 Virginia baseball team won its 10th-consecutive game Saturday, downing Georgia Tech, 4-2, at Davenport Field. Virginia (34-14-1, 16-10 ACC) won its seventh-straight ACC contest and clinched its third-consecutive ACC series victory.

Pitching ruled the day on both sides, with each team finishing with just six hits. Virginia’s bullpen tossed five scoreless innings and ran its ACC scoreless innings streak to 37.2 straight innings.

Shane Halley (Sr., Burke, Va.) earned the win and improved to 9-1 this season after tossing a scoreless fifth inning. Justin Thompson (Sr., Danville, Va.) issued three walks in the ninth inning but worked around them to hold Georgia Tech (30-21, 10-16) scoreless and pick up his 10th save of the season.

Nick Howard (Fr., Olney, Md.) tossed two scoreless innings, while Kyle Crockett (So., Poquoson, Va.) worked out of an eighth-inning jam to throw a scoreless inning.

Virginia starting pitcher Scott Silverstein (R-Jr., Olney, Md.) tossed 4.0 innings, giving up two earned runs, three hits and no walks while striking out two. Georgia Tech starter Jake Davies (0-2) worked 4.2 innings, giving up four earned runs, five hits and a walk while fanning three in taking the loss.

Chris Taylor (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.) finished with a pair of hits for UVa; his run-scoring double in the fifth inning provided the Cavaliers with the eventual game-winning run. Stephen Bruno (R-So., Audubon, N.J.) recorded a pair of RBI for Virginia.

The Cavaliers got off to a fast start with a run in the first inning. Taylor led off with a single and moved to second on a Colin Harrington (R-So., Johnstown, Pa.) sacrifice. Davies uncorked a wild pitch to bring Taylor to third, and Bruno followed with a sacrifice fly to right.

Georgia Tech took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. After Sam Dove led off with a single, Zane Evans ripped a one-out home run to left field for his second homer of the year.

Virginia promptly tied the game in its half of the fourth. Derek Fisher (Fr., Rexmont, Pa.) led off with an infield single, and he scored when Kenny Towns (Fr., Burke, Va.) doubled off the left-field wall with one out.

The Cavaliers forged ahead with a pair of fifth-inning runs. Keith Werman (Sr., Vienna, Va.) drew a leadoff walk and scored when Taylor doubled down the left-field line. Harrington sacrificed Taylor to third, and Bruno blooped an RBI single to left-center.

Things got hairy in the ninth inning for Virginia as Thompson walked three batters to load the bases with two outs, but Daniel Spingola grounded out to second base to end the game.

Virginia goes for the series sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday. Senior Day ceremonies will be held beginning at 12:35 p.m.

A $5 cash charge will be in effect for the U-Hall, JPJA and McCue parking lots on Sunday because UVa is hosting a first-round game of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships at Klöckner Stadium. This charge applies to baseball and men’s lacrosse fans. Free parking will be available in the Emmet/Ivy Garage on Sunday.