Gelof, Savino Lead Virginia to Series Opening Win

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– Junior Nate Savino pitched a complete game shutout and sophomore Jake Gelof hit two home runs in a 5-0 win over Duke (8-6, 0-1 ACC) at Durham Athletic Park on Friday (March 11). Virginia improved to 13-0 and 1-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The nine-inning, complete game shutout was the first by a UVA pitcher since Derek Casey against Virginia Tech in 2018. Savino needed just 103 pitches and struck out seven batters. He scattered five hits and did not allow a Duke batter to reach second base. He finished his outing by retiring the final 10 batters he faced. He has now won three-straight starts and has both quality starts produced by UVA starting pitchers this season.

The multi-homer game for Gelof was his third of the season and upped his season home run total to nine. He was part of all five runs that UVA scored and finished his day at the plate 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. He has 33 RBI in 13 games this season and the four-RBI performance marks the fifth time this season he’s driven in four or more runs in a game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gelof opened the scoring with three-run homer in the fourth, plating Kyle Teel and Devin Ortiz. Teel led the inning off with a double off the left field wall and Ortiz reached on a hit by pitch.

• With two outs in the sixth, Gelof blasted a 1-0 pitch off the snorting bull sign in left field.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“Nate Savino was outstanding today. To throw a complete game with no walks and a shutout is just so rare in college baseball. He was in complete command of the game. That was great to see because to compete at the elite level and in this league, you’ve got to have somebody who can go out on Friday night and give you the chance to win and pitch deep into the ballgame. He was terrific. We were opportunistic offensively. We did enough to get a couple guys on and Gelof does what he does and hit a three-run home run and then got another home run later. (Alex) Tappen put a good swing on that ball and almost hit one out as well.

It was a really well played college baseball game. We just came up with a couple more clutch hits.”

UP NEXT: Game two of the three-game ACC series will be televised live on ACC Network on Saturday (March 12) at 4 p.m. The Cavaliers will have lefthander Brian Gursky (3-0) on the mound and he will be opposed by fellow southpaw Luke Fox.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The game featured no walks issued by either pitching staff. The only batter to reach safely without a hit was Ortiz who was hit by a pitch in the fourth.
• Virginia is 13-0 for the third time in program history and off to the best start since 2013 when it started 14-0
• The shutout was Virginia’s fifth of the season, the most shutouts in college baseball this season.
• Including Savino, six pitchers in college baseball this season have been credited with complete game shutouts.
• Casey Saucke went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and extended his hit streak to 11 games.