No. 19 Baseball Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader, Improves to 11-0

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March 2, 2013

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 19 Virginia baseball team swept a Saturday doubleheader at Davenport Field, knocking off Bucknell, 12-4, in the first game and toppling Harvard, 11-5, in the nightcap. The Cavaliers improved to 11-0 with the win, while racking up 27 hits, 10 of which went for extra bases.

Derek Fisher (So., Rexmont, Pa.) went 5-for-6 in the doubleheader, while Branden Cogswell (So., Ballston Lake, N.Y.) was 5-for-8 with four runs scored. Joe McCarthy (Fr., Scranton, Pa.) was 4-for-8 with five RBI in the two wins.

Game 2 – Virginia 11, Harvard 5
Virginia fell behind 3-0 in the second inning before coming back for the commanding win. Fisher went 3-for-3, while Mike Papi (So., Tunkhannock, Pa.) was 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI.

Whit Mayberry (R-Jr., Alexandria, Va.) improved to 2-0 after tossing four innings of relief. He allowed a run, four hits and two walks while fanning a pair. Nathan Kirby (Fr., Midlothian, Va.) made his first career start and worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned), five hits and three walks while striking out one.

Reliever Matt Timoney (0-1) took the loss for Harvard (1-2) after giving up six earned runs in the fifth inning.

A pair of UVa defensive miscues led to two first-inning runs for Harvard, and the Crimson tacked on a run in the second on a Carlton Bailey RBI single. The Cavaliers countered with three runs in their half of the second inning against starter Peter Kaplan when Papi pulled a three-run home run just inside the right-field foul pole for his first long ball of the year.

The Crimson moved ahead in the fifth on a DJ Link run-scoring single off Mayberry, but Virginia responded once again in the bottom of the inning by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring seven times. After Brandon Downes (So., South Plainfield, N.J.) drew a leadoff walk, Fisher and Kenny Towns (So., Burke, Va.) cranked run-scoring doubles on consecutive pitches. One out later Papi laced an RBI double to right-center. John LaPrise (Fr., Exton, Pa.) was hit by a pitch, and after Timoney uncorked a wild pitch, catcher Jon Mayer fired wildly in an attempt to nail Papi at third, allowing Papi to trot home.

With two outs Jared King (R-Sr., Radford, Va.) singled to right-center, prompting a pitching change to Shaun Rubin. McCarthy greeted the freshman southpaw with a towering two-run homer to left, his first college dinger, to cap the scoring.

The Cavaliers tacked on a run in the seventh when McCarthy singled home Cogswell. Harvard added a final tally in the eighth when Matt Sanders scored on a wild pitch.

Game 1 – Virginia 12, Bucknell 4
Virginia scored four quick runs and never trailed in rolling to a 12-4 win in game 1 against Bucknell (0-8). The top third in the Cavaliers’ batting order – Cogswell, Colin Harrington (R-Jr., Johnstown, Pa.) and McCarthy – combined to go 8-for-13 with six runs scored. Fisher also went 3-for-3.

Virginia starting pitcher Scott Silverstein (R-Sr., Olney, Md.) worked seven innings, giving up four runs (three earned) and seven hits. He struck out five and did not issue a walk as he improved to 2-0 this year. David Rosenberger (Fr., Bethlehem, Pa.) finished things for UVa by retiring the final six Bucknell batters in order.

Bucknell starter Dan Weigel (0-3) took the loss after giving up nine earned runs, 11 hits and three walks in five-plus innings.

UVa needed just two pitches in order to score, as Cogswell lined the first pitch down the right-field line for a triple and Harrington singled on the following offering. McCarthy and Downes walked to load the bases, and Towns followed with a sacrifice fly. Fisher and Reed Gragnani (Sr., Richmond, Va.) each hit RBI singles to add to the lead.

UVa stretched its advantage to 5-0 in the second on a run-scoring single by McCarthy. The Bison scored in the third as Corey Furman tripled with one out and Greg Wasikowski grounded out to bring in the run. It marked the first run allowed by a Cavalier starting pitcher in 42 2/3 innings.

The Cavaliers responded in the bottom of the third with a run on a Nate Irving (So., Yonkers, N.Y.) groundout, plating Fisher.

Bucknell closed to within 6-4 in the fourth as Jon Mayer hit a two-run double and later scored on a UVa fielding error.

Virginia pushed the lead to 9-4 in the sixth. Irving and Cogswell hit consecutive singles to start the inning and advanced on a Harrington sacrifice. McCarthy singled in a run, and Downes and Towns each drove in runs by grounding into fielder’s choices.

UVa added a run in the seventh when Harrington scorched a double down the left-field line to bring Irving home from first. The Cavaliers plated two more runs in the eighth on a Nick Howard (So., Olney, Md.) RBI double and a dropped fly ball on the ensuing play, which allowed Howard to score.

Virginia concludes the weekend at 2:30 p.m. Sunday when it takes on Bucknell. The Bison and Crimson will meet in a neutral-site game at 11 a.m. Free hot chocolate and coffee will be available while supplies last. Parking will be available in the University Hall and Cage lots as well as the Emmet/Ivy Garage. The John Paul Jones Arena lots will be reserved the women’s basketball game.