Virginia Blanks Wagner for Second-Straight Shutout

Highlights | Photo Gallery | Box Score (PDF)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In its highest offensive output of the season, Virginia (6-5) recorded a 14-0 shutout of Wagner (1-8) on Monday afternoon (March 4) at Disharoon Park. The Cavalier pitching staff has tossed back-to-back shutouts and has not allowed a run in the last 23 innings.
 
Sophomore Tanner Morris (Crozet, Va.) had a big day at the plate, with a pair of home runs and a career-high six RBI. He ignited a five-run, game-changing rally in the fourth inning with a lead-off homer over the right field bullpen. He second long ball was a three-run shot to right that made the score 13-0 in the sixth.
 
The Cavalier shortstop has reached base in all 11 games this season and leads the team in batting (.405), hits (17) and RBI (14).
 
Morris was one of five Cavaliers to put forth multi-hit efforts in a game that saw Virginia rack up a season-high 17 hits. Freshman Nic Kent (Charlottesville, Va.) went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI in the best day at the plate of his young career. Cameron Simmons (Royersford, Pa.), Nate Eikhoff (Bristow, Va.) and Logan Michaels (DeForest, Wis.) each had two hits on the day.
 
Eikhoff and Michaels drove in a pair of runs and scored a run. Michaels, who made his seventh start of the season, is 10-for-17 on the season (.588). He has a hit in all but one of the eight games in which he’s appeared.
 
Starting pitcher Mike Vasil (Wellesley, Mass.) earned his first collegiate win after pitching six clean innings. The righthander limited the Seahawks to four hits and did not issue a walk in his third start of the season. Vasil didn’t face more than four batters in an inning and struck out four in a 73-pitch effort.
 
Relievers Riley Wilson (Midlothian, Va.) and Evan Sperling (Poquoson, Va.) went unscathed in the final three innings to secure the sixth Virginia win of the season. The Virginia bullpen has not surrendered a run in its last 13 innings pitched.
 
Virginia capitalized on an opponent season-high, five Wagner fielding errors in the contest, including three in a two-run first inning.

By mutual agreement between Virginia & Wagner, the final game of the midweek series has been moved to Wednesday (March 6) at 3 p.m.
 
Additional Notes
• Virginia improved to 4-0 against Wagner and have scored a combined 37 runs against the Seahawks in the last two meetings.
• Zack Gelof (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) drew three walks and scored two runs to extend his reached base streak to 11 games.
• Before Morris’ two home-run game, teammate Jack Weiller (Ketonah, N.Y.) was the last Virginia player to homer twice in a game.
• Weiller came on to pinch-hit in the seventh and recorded his third hit as a pinch-hitter this season.
• Monday marked the collegiate debut of Ben Harris (Alpharetta, Ga.) who came on as a pinch hitter in the sixth and played the final three innings in left field.