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Baseball
Virginia Tops Longwood, Wins Fifth-Straight Game
Virginia (14-10) matched a season-high with 17 hits in a 13-4 victory over Longwood (7-17) at Disharoon Park on Tuesday evening (March 26). The Cavaliers extend their win streak to five games, the longest of the season.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (14-10) matched a season-high with 17 hits in a 13-4 victory over Longwood (7-17) at Disharoon Park on Tuesday evening (March 26). The Cavaliers extend their win streak to five games, the longest of the season.
After trailing 2-0 after three innings, Virginia erupted for 12 runs in the middle three innings, including six in the fourth to take the lead for good. The Cavaliers sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth, fifth and sixth to jump out to a 12-4 advantage. Virginia has put together single-inning rallies of five or more runs, nine times this season.
At the plate Virginia received a pair of three-hit performances, one by freshman Zack Gelof (Rehoboth Beach, Del.) and the other from senior Nate Eikhoff (Bristow, Va.). Gelof extended his team-best, 13-game hit streak with a single in the first inning and finished the day, 3-for-4 with three RBI. Gelof has now reached base safely in all 24 games this season, the second longest streak for a UVA freshman since 2000. Eikhoff went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, including Virginia’s first run on a Longwood fielding error in the fourth.
Senior Chesdin Harrington (Montpelier, Va.) earned his first win of the season and first win since April 11, 2017. He established a new career-high with eight strikeouts in just four innings of work. Left-hander Riley Wilson (Midlothian, Va.) and Evan Sperling (Poquoson, Va.) combined to pitch three innings of scoreless baseball to close out the Virginia victory.
Sophomore Tanner Morris (Crozet, Va.) collected his team-best, 11th double of the season and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI. The three-hit day was Morris’ fifth of the season. The Cavalier shortstop came into the contest tied for fifth in the ACC in doubles.
Freshman Nic Kent (Charlottesville, Va.) reached base four times in a 2-for-2 effort at the plate. He and Alex Tappen (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) scored a game-high three times. Kent has scored a run five of the last six games. Tappen, making his first start since March 22, went 2-for-4 with a walk.
Cayman Richardson (Mechanicsville, Va.) rounded out the Cavalier multi-hit performers with a 2-for-6 effort.
Virginia will close out its six-game home stand with another commonwealth opponent, Richmond, on Wednesday (March 27). First pitch at Disharoon Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Additional Notes
• Virginia improves to 16-2 all-time against Longwood and 11-0 under Brian O’Connor. The Cavaliers have taken 12-straight games from the Lancers.
• Eight of the nine Cavalier starters recorded a hit in the contest.
• Longwood used nine pitchers in the game, the most by a Virginia opponent this season.
• Cameron Simmons (Royersford, Pa.) went 1-for-3 with two walks, a run scored and an RBI. He has reached base safely in 10-straight games.
• Virginia improved to 5-2 in midweek contests and 2-2 against opponents from the Commonwealth in 2019.
• Junior Drew Blakely (Galesburg, Mich.) made his season debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.