Story Links

March 7, 2013

waddell-wide-image-1.jpg
No. 17 Virginia vs. Maryland
Date/Time Saturday DH (Time TBA) | Sunday, 12:30 p.m.
Location Charlottesville, Va. | Davenport Field (4,980)
GameTracker Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Audio/Video ($) Game 1 (Video) | Game 2 (Audio) | Game 3 (Audio)
More Information Game Notes | Twitter | Coach O’Connor Twitter | Facebook

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The 17th-ranked Virginia baseball team begins ACC action this weekend when it plays host to Maryland at Davenport Field. The teams will open the series with a doubleheader Saturday; the start time will be determined Friday afternoon following a review of the field conditions. Please note the change from the original schedule.

The series finale is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

For more information on the schedule change, click here.

Broadcast Information
Audio broadcasts for each game of the series will be available at VirginiaSports.com via Cavaliers Live (subscription required for audio and video). GameTracker links for all three games also will be available on VirginiaSports.com.

Probable Starting Rotations
Virginia Cavaliers (12-0, 0-0 ACC)
Sat. G1
– Fr. LHP Brandon Waddell (2-0, 0.54 ERA)
Sat. G2 – R-Sr. LHP Scott Silverstein (2-0, 2.45 ERA)
Sun. – So. RHP Nick Howard (2-0, 0.56 ERA)

Maryland Terrapins (9-3, 0-0 ACC)
Sat. G1
– Sr. LHP Jimmy Reed (2-1, 1.50 ERA)
Sat. G2 – Jr. RHP Brady Kirkpatrick (2-1, 1.47 ERA)
Sun. – TBA

Noting the Virginia-Maryland Series
Virginia owns a 107-77-1 lead in the all-time series with Maryland. This marks UVa’s most wins against any ACC opponent.

UVa has posted a 25-2 record against Maryland under the current coaching staff (since 2004), including an 11-1 mark at Davenport Field (only loss came April 4, 2009).

The teams concluded the 2012 ACC season last year, with Virginia taking wo of three in College Park (May 17-19). The Cavaliers picked up a three-game series sweep over Maryland in 2011 in the Terps’ last trip to Charlottesville (14-1, 4-2, 4-2).

Noting Maryland
Led by first-year head coach John Szefc, the Terrapins (9-3) have won nine straight games entering ACC play. After getting swept in its season-opening series at Louisiana State, Maryland bounced back with nine straight victories, including a four-game series sweep of Princeton last weekend in College Park, Md.

Maryland ranks eighth in the ACC in batting (.295), seventh in ERA (3.06) and third in fielding (.976). Charlie White is ninth in batting (.432) and also ranks first with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

The Terrapins are rated No. 30 this week by Collegiate Baseball.

Cavaliers Stingy at Home
Off to a 10-0 home start this year, Virginia is 134-28 at home since 2009. That equates to an 82.7 winning percentage.

UVa was 26-10 at home last year, after setting the school record for home victories each of the previous two years (34 in 2010, 35 in 2011).

Who Will Blink First on Basepaths?
The UVa-Maryland series will feature an intriguing chess match on the basepaths. Maryland leads the ACC and ranks third nationally with 44 stolen bases and has been caught just eight times (85 percent success rate). Virginia has allowed only four stolen base attempts (three successful) in its 12 games this year. Maryland leadoff hitter Charlie White ranks second nationally with 15 stolen bases.

Virginia Tied for National Lead in Runs
Entering the week, Virginia was tied for first nationally in runs scored in the NCAA’s first statistics report for 2013. With 119 runs scored in 12 games (9.9/game), Virginia was tied with Central Arkansas for first nationally.

The Cavaliers rank among the nation’s top 20 in 11 statistical categories on offense and have scored nine runs or more in nine of their 12 games.

Power Numbers Up This Season
Virginia ranks seventh nationally with 11 home runs in 12 games this year and is on pace to hit 49.5 home runs this season. UVa hit 25 home runs in 59 games last year.

Brandon Downes and Kenny Towns lead the team with three dingers each. Downes had one long ball last year, while Towns had none. Forty-seven of UVa’s 136 hits thus far have gone for extra bases (35 percent).

Cogswell a Force at Top of Lineup
Branden Cogswell has stepped into the leadoff slot in the batting order and been sensational in the first three weeks. He leads the team with a .487 batting average and also owns a team-best .618 on-base percentage.

He has scored a national-best 21 runs and ranks second nationally in on-base percentage, sixth in walks (14) and 11th in batting (rankings entering the week). Cogswell has struck out only twice in 58 plate appearances.

Up Next
Virginia concludes its homestand at 5 p.m. Tuesday when Liberty comes to Davenport Field. UVa hits the road for the first time in ACC play next weekend (March 15-17) when it ventures to Clemson.

uva-bball-md-300x250.jpg
Print Friendly Version