Virginia Opens Home Slate Tuesday

Feb. 19, 2018

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (2-1) will play its first home game of the season on Tuesday (Feb. 20) against VMI (1-2) at the newly expanded Davenport Field. Game time has been moved to 5 p.m. to take advantage of the unseasonably warm weather.

Game Coverage
Tuesday’s game will be carried live on ACC Network Extra, a dedicated digital channel for ACC sports which is available to authenticated subscribers of ESPN3 through WatchESPN and the ESPN app at no additional charge.

Live stats for the game are available on VirginiaSports.com and fans can follow the team’s official twitter page (@uvabaseball) for in-game updates.

Clear Bag Policy
Consistent with what is already in place at Scott Stadium, John Paul Jones Arena and Klöckner Stadium fans attending games at Davenport Field this season must adhere to the department’s clear bag policy and entrance procedures. Details of the of the policy can be found here: http://www.virginiasports.com/facilities/clear_bag_Davenport_Klockner.html

Parking
Game day parking will be available in the University Hall and John Paul Jones Arena parking lots on a first come, first served basis.

Probable Starting Pitchers
VMI: LHP Brandon Barbery (0-9, 6.84 ERA, 61 SO, 25 BB)
UVA: RHP Griff McGarry (n/a)
*2017 Statistics

Leading Off
– The Cavaliers went 2-1 in their opening weekend in Orlando, defeating Samford & Rice while dropping the opener to host, UCF.
– This marks the third-straight year Virginia opens up its home schedule against VMI.
– In the Brian O’Connor era (since 2004), Virginia is 12-2 it its home openers.
– Virginia went 18-1 at home against non-conference opponents in 2017.
– In an all-time series that dates back to 1889, Virginia is 100-31 against the Keydets. Under O’Connor, the Cavaliers hold a 10-4 edge.

Last Meeting
– Head Coach Brian O’Connor recorded his 600th career victory in last year’s Feb. 21 meeting at Davenport Field.
– The Cavaliers rallied from a 6-2 deficit in the seventh inning by scoring seven runs in their final two turns at the plate in a 9-7 victory.
– Andy Weber drove in three runs, two by virtue of the sac fly, as well as the game-tying bases loaded walk in the seventh inning.

K Kids
– Starting pitchers Daniel Lynch and Derek Casey each fanned seven batters in their first starts of the 2018 season.
– Evan Sperling matched a career-high with nine in the weekend finale against defending Conference USA champion, Rice. Only ACC Pitcher of the Week Brian Rapp had more strikeouts (10) among ACC teams last weekend than Sperling.
– As a staff, Virginia totaled 10 or more strikeouts in each of the first three games. Cavalier pitchers struck out 10 or more batters in three-straight games, on three different occasions last season.

Starting Out on the Right Foot
– Andy Weber and Justin Novak each have hit safely in the first three games of the season.
– Dating back to 2017, Weber is riding a seven-game hitting streak. He recorded hits in five of his first nine at bats of 2018.
– Novak provided the insurance runs in Sunday’s 3-0 win over rice with a two-run double down the left field line in the seventh inning. Against Samford on Saturday he was one of three Cavaliers to record three hits.

ACC Ranks
– The Virginia pitching staff boasts a 2.77 ERA in 26 innings pitched this season, the second lowest in the ACC.
-Weber (.462) and Novak (.455) are tied for 6th and 9th respectively in the league in hitting.

In the Polls
– Virginia moved up two spots in the D1Baseball.com national poll to No. 17 and remained at No. 15 according to Baseball America. The Cavaliers also held steadfast at No. 16 in Collegiate Baseball’s first regular season poll.

Noting VMI
– The Keydets took game one of a three game set at No. 19 South Carolina on Saturday. VMI erased a 4-1, first-inning deficit and held on to a 7-6 victory. A total eight pitchers toed the rubber for the Keydets with reliever Derek Tremblay earning the win.
– Senior catcher and Second Team All-SoCon Preseason selection, Peyton Maddox, leads the team with a .364 average. Going into the season, only 15 of the last 213 games have seen someone different than Maddox behind the plate.
– VMI’s last victory against Virginia came in 2015, a 7-6 triumph at Davenport Field.

Single-Game Tickets
Single-game general admission ticket options are available for every home game. General admission seating is available in the left field bleachers (new Sections A-E) as well as on the hill and standing room only areas of Davenport Field.

Tuesday & Wednesday Home Games
– General Admission: $7 ($5 for youth, seniors and UVA faculty and staff)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday Home Games
– General Admission: $9 ($7 for youth, seniors and UVA faculty and staff)

Text Alerts
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