Virginia Hosts No. 18 Pitt in ACC Action Beginning Saturday

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia (8-8, 2-7 ACC) returns to Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday (March 20) when it hosts No. 18 Pittsburgh (9-4, 6-3 ACC), the first of a three-game series at Disharoon Park. First pitch for the series opener is set for 1 p.m. and will air live on ACCNX.

Game Coverage: All three games of the series will be carried on ACCNX, available to authenticated subscribers of ACC Network via the ESPN App. In addition, Sunday’s game can be heard locally in Charlottesville on WINA 98.9 FM/1070 AM and anywhere on WINA.com. Links for the broadcasts and in-game live stats are available on VirginiaSports.com. Fans can also follow the Virginia baseball official twitter account (@UVABaseball) for in-game updates.

TICKET INFORMATION

Due to the limited number of tickets, the current attendance policy includes pre-sale ticket access for UVA students, 2020 baseball donors and season ticket holders.  If any tickets remain after the pre-sale process, they will made available to the general public on Saturday (March 20) at 10 a.m.

Fans must purchase a pair of tickets. All tickets regardless of location will be $5. Tickets can be purchased on UVATix.com or from Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 434-924-8821.

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS

Saturday – 1 p.m.
Pitt: RHP Mitch Myers (1-2, 3.18 ERA, 22.2 IP, 5 BB, 33 SO)
Virginia: LHP Andrew Abbott (1-3, 3.18 ERA, 22.2 IP, 7 BB, 36 SO)

Sunday – 1 p.m.
Pitt: RHP Matt Gilbertson (2-2, 3.97 ERA, 22.2 IP, 6 BB, 29 SO)
Virginia: RHP Griff McGarry (0-2, 6.32 ERA, 15.2 IP, 14 BB, 31 SO)

Monday – 2 p.m.
Pitt: TBA
Virginia: TBA

LEADING OFF

• No. 18 Pitt will be the second-straight nationally-ranked opponent to visit for a weekend series at Disharoon Park this season. The Panthers come in at No. 18 according to D1Baseball.
• The Cavaliers are 2-3 on their current eight-game homestand, their longest stint at home this season.
• Virginia is two wins shy of 500 at Disharoon Park, a facility that opened in 2002 and changed the face of the Cavalier baseball program.
• Under head Coach Brian O’Connor, the Cavaliers are 292-187-1 in ACC play. His 292 wins are the 8th most in league history and third most among active ACC coaches. His winning percentage (.609) in ACC regular season games is the second-highest among active ACC coaches (min. 4 seasons).

AGAINST PITT

• Virginia is 19-5 all-time against Pitt and 14-4 against the Panthers since they joined the ACC.
• Pitt captured the final two games of 2018 series for its lone series win against the Cavaliers.
• The Cavaliers are 6-0 against Pitt at Disharoon Park
• The first ever ACC contest between the two schools occurred on April 4, 2014. Lefthander Nathan Kirby tossed the fifth no-hitter in program history and struck out 18 batters in the process.

MOUND NOTES

• Virginia comes into the weekend with a team ERA of 3.60, the second-lowest in the ACC. Among league foes, only UVA and Miami have recorded multiple shutouts this season.
• As a staff, the Cavaliers have struck out 191 batters, the sixth most in the country. The Cavaliers have fanned 10 or more batters in 12 of the 16 games this season.
• Andrew Abbott comes into the weekend with 36 strikeouts, the most of any ACC pitcher and the seventh most in college baseball.
• With his sixth strikeout against Notre Dame last Friday, Abbott recorded his 200^th career strikeout, the 17^th Cavalier pitcher to enter the 200-strikeout club. Abbott is one of 15 active pitchers in the NCAA with 200 or more strikeouts.
• Griff McGarry added seven strikeouts to his season total last week against Notre Dame, he fanned six Fighting Irish hitters in a row beginning with the second batter in the first inning. His 31 strikeouts are third behind Pitt’s Mitch Myers (33) and Abbott (36). He boasts a career 12.49 strikeout/per nine innings ratio, the seventh-highest amongst active NCAA pitchers.
• The trio of Blake Bales, Zach Messinger and Kyle Whitten have each appeared in nine games this season, the most of any pitcher in the ACC and 10^th most in the NCAA.
• Over 11.1 innings of work Bales has yet to yield an earned run and fanned 18 batters. Dating back to last season, Bales is 4-0 with a 0.90 ERA and has 27 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched.
• Nine of closer Stephen Schoch’s 22 career saves has occurred in a UVA uniform. The 22 career saves are the fourth most of any active NCAA pitcher.

HOOS IN THE MIDWEEK

• Virginia has outscored its midweek opponents this season 37-6 in four games and tossed consecutive shutouts, including Wednesday’s blanking of Towson.
• Five UVA pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout of Towson, the first UVA one-hitter since March 27, 2018 when they held Longwood to a one base knock in a 6-0 victory
• In four midweek games this season, Virginia pitchers have surrendered just three earned runs and boast a 0.75 ERA.
• The Cavaliers have won 20-straight games against midweek opponents dating back to 2019.

NOTES & TRENDS

• Freshman Kyle Teel has started five-straight games as the team’s designated hitter and has driven in a run in his last three games. His two home runs against Notre Dame came in span of three at bats.
• Logan Michaels leads the team with a .281 batting average (9-for-32) in ACC play. In small sample sizes, Christian Hlinka (7 AB) and Jake Gelof (8 AB), each have three hits in conference games this year.
• Nic Kent was caught stealing on Wednesday vs. Towson, the first time he was cut down in 10 chances after starting the year 4-for-4 on the basepaths. His five stolen bases this season lead the team and are tied for the fourth most in the ACC. From the leadoff spot he has walked sixth times in his last four games and struck out once in his last 17 trips to the plate