Ortiz Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam to Stun North Carolina

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Trailing by three runs going into the bottom of the 10^th inning, No. 11 Virginia (30-10, 12-8 ACC) scored seven in its half, four on a walk-off grand slam by Devin Ortiz to defeat North Carolina, 11-7 at Disharoon Park on Saturday (April 23). The victory clinched the series, the first series win over North Carolina since 2016.

Virginia left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and North Carolina (23-16, 8-12 ACC) took advantage of a second opportunity. The Tar Heels sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the 10^th and scored three runs, two on a double in the right centerfield gap by Mac Horvath.

After sac fly from Casey Saucke, Virginia made it a one-run game on a two-out single through the right side by Kyle Teel, his fourth hit of the day. Graduate student Alex Tappen tied the game at seven with single over the outstretched hands of UNC shortstop Danny Serretti. With runners on second and third, UNC elected to walk Jake Gelof who was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI on the day to load the bases.

Ortiz drove the first pitch he saw 373 feet down the left field line that stayed just inside the foul pole for the walk-off winner. The grand slam by Ortiz was the third of his career and the fifth hit by the Cavaliers this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The lead changed hand six times in the contest and was tied on three different occasions.
• Gelof tied the game twice himself. He blasted his 15^th home run of the season to knot the game at one in the fourth and then singled up the middle in the sixth to even it at two.

• Two batters later in the fourth, Virginia took its first lead on a two-out single by Chris Newell.
• North Carolina tied it up in the seventh on a two-out bases loaded infield single by Hunter Stokely.
• The Cavaliers rallied again in the bottom half and plated an unearned run as Teel scored on a fielder’s choice by Gelof.
• The Cavaliers took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning but it was erased by a lead-off homer by Alberto Osuna.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“College baseball games are hard to win. That was a great environment and a great team win. To give up the lead in the ninth and then be down three in extra innings and for our team to just put a bunch of hits together and rally back was just really impressive. It takes everything. Us and North Carolina always play great ball games and I expect tomorrow to be no different.”

UP NEXT: The series concludes on Sunday (April 24) looking for its second ACC series sweep of the season. The Cavaliers will have lefthander Jake Berry (4-2) on the mound for the finale. The Tar Heels will start righty Kyle Mott (4-2). First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. and the contest will air live on ESPNU.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Six of UVA’s seven tenth-inning runs came with two outs.
• It marked the second walk-off win of the season for the Cavaliers, both have come in Atlantic Coast Conference play (Boston College, March 18).
• Gelof moved into tie for fifth place with Mark Reynolds (2002) on UVA single-season home runs list.
• The win for O’Connor as his 780^th of his career, tying him with former North Carolina head coach Mike Roberts for the eighth most in ACC history.
• Tappen played in his 200^th game to become the 11^th Cavalier to play in 200 or more games.
• Virginia starting pitcher Brian Gursky matched a career-high with nine strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work.