No. 11 Virginia Sweeps Doubleheader with No. 16 NC State

March 23, 2013

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 11 Virginia baseball team swept a doubleheader against No. 16 NC State, winning the opener 8-2 before clinching the series with a 4-3 victory in game two.

The Cavaliers will go for the series sweep on Sunday, March 24 at 11 a.m. at Davenport Field. The game was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, but has been moved to 11 a.m. Sunday because of a forecast for inclement weather. It was also originally slated to be televised by ESPNU, but will no longer be broadcast.

In the 18 innings of today’s doubleheader, the five Cavalier pitchers combined to strikeout 16 batters while walking none.

In the first game, Virginia used a big inning in the bottom of the eighth to break open what had been a tight game between the Cavaliers and the Wolfpack. UVa turned six hits into a five-run tally in the frame.

Austin Young (Jr., Mechanicsville, Va.) earned the win and moved to 1-0 after tossing 3 1/3 shutout innings out of the bullpen and retiring all ten batters he faced. Brandon Waddell(Fr., Houston, Texas) started and went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and six hits with six strikeouts.

Andrew Woeck (2-1) took the loss after giving up go ahead run. Starter Carlos Rodon worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs, two hits and six walks while striking out eight.

In game two, starter Scott Silverstein (R-Sr., Olney, Md.) improved to 4-0 after allowing just one run in the first five innings. Silverstein got into trouble in the top of the sixth with the Wolfpack getting three hits to start the inning. Josh Sborz(Fr., McLean, Va.) relieved Silverstein with runners on second and third and no outs. He induced a fielder’s choice and a double-play groundout to short to keep the Cavaliers ahead, 4-3. Silverstein was charged with three earned runs in his 5.0+ innings, allowing six hits and striking out five.

Kyle Crockett(Jr., Poquoson, Va.) pitched the final two innings of game two, allowing just one hit, an infield hit with two outs in the ninth. Crocket got a called strike three on the next batter to earn his first save of the season.

The Wolfpack got off to a quick start in the first game, plating a run in the first after three of the first four batters reached on singles. Waddell limited the damage, retiring the two batters to strand to NC State runners, highlighted by a strikeout to end the frame.

Virginia threatened to even the game in the bottom of the third when Nick Howard (So. Olney, Md.) led off with a single up the middle and Reed Gragnani(Sr., Richmond, Va.) followed with a walk. After a sac bunt to move the runners up 90 feet, Howard was cut down at the plate while trying to score on a chopper hit to first.

In the bottom of the fifth, Virginia finally broke through to tally a pair and take a 2-1 lead. Gragnani was plunked to begin the frame, Nate Irving’s(So., Yonkers, N.Y.) ensuing at-bat resulted in a walk and Brandon Cogswell (So., Ballston Lake, N.Y.) laced Rodon’s offering into center to score Gragnani. The Cavaliers were able to advance on the throw to the plate, giving Virginia runners on second and third with no outs. Two batters later McCarthy drove in Irving on a fielder’s choice to second.

NC State responded immediately, tallying three one-out singles to even the score at two apiece. Prior to Logan Ratledge’s single, Waddell had retired 15 consecutive Pack batters. The left-hander struck out Tarran Senay for the second out and reliever Andrew Woeck forced a grounder to third to end NC State’s hopes of reclaiming the lead.

In the home half of the eighth, Virginia registered five runs on six hits to extend the lead to six, 8-2. Kenny Towns(So., Burke, Va.) began the onslaught with a single to right and quickly swiped second. Fisher dug out a pitch and tripled down the right field line to score Towns. Fisher touched home plate after Howard doubled in the left-field gap and scored two batters later when Irving drilled a liner down the left field line. Cogswell temporarily gave the Cavaliers runners on the corner following a single to center but immediately stole second to place two Virginia runners in scoring position. McCarthy lifted a ball that fell in-between the shortstop, third baseman and the left fielder to score Irving and Cogswell, while strolling into second with a double.

In the second game, Cogswell led off the bottom of the first by lacing a single to left field. He scored on an RBI single through the right side of the infield from Derek Fisher(So., Rexmont, Pa.).

Virginia took a 3-0 lead with an RBI double from Mike Papi(Tunkhannock, Pa.) followed by an RBI single from Irving in the fourth inning.

After NC State made it 3-1 in the fifth, Downes hit a solo shot just over the right field wall to make it 4-1 heading into the eventful sixth inning.

Cogswell went 4-for-9 in the two games, driving in a run. Downes was 3-of-7 with a home run, his fourth of the year, and two runs driven in.

The Cavaliers tallied 21 hits in the two games while the Wolfpack had 13.

With the wins, Virginia improved to 21-2 (6-2 ACC) while NC State falls to 16-8 (3-5 ACC).

Fans who plan on attending Sunday’s game should arrive early to avoid traffic congestion in the area because of the men’s basketball NIT second-round game at John Paul Jones Arena that also starts at 11 a.m.

Tickets for the Monday game will be accepted on Sunday. Fans with tickets for the Monday game that cannot attend the game Sunday may exchange their tickets in advance for a General Admission ticket to any other regular season game by calling the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 542-8821 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or bring their ticket stubs to the gate for General Admission seating at any remaining regular season home game, subject to seat availability at the time of arrival.

Parking will be available in the University Hall, McCue and Cage lots as well as the Emmet/Ivy Garage.

Tickets are on sale at the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office. Customers may purchase tickets online at VirginiaSports.com, calling (800) 542-UVA1 or by visiting the ticket office in Bryant Hall during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets will also be sold at the Davenport Field ticket windows beginning two hours prior to each home game.

Live audio will be available for the Sunday game on VirginiaSports.com with a subscription to Cavaliers Live. Live statistics (GameTracker) also will be available on VirginiaSports.com.