No. 17 Virginia Splits Saturday Twinbill, Claims Series

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 17 Virginia (14-1, 2-1 ACC) extended its win streak to 14 games with an 8-4 win over No. 14 North Carolina (12-5, 1-2 ACC) in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday (March 11). The Tar Heels salvaged the series with a 6-0 win in the nightcap, the first win against UVA their last seven tries.

In game one, Virginia overcame a 3-0 deficit, its largest of the season to clinch the series. The Cavaliers scored eight-straight runs between the fifth and eighth innings. North Carolina became the first team to hold Virginia without a run this season and UVA matched a season-low with five hits in game two.

The win in game one of the nightcap was the sixth in-a-row against the Tar Heels, the longest win streak in the series for Virginia since winning six-straight from 1913-15. The Cavaliers started the 2023 season winning its first 14 games for the second-straight year. UVA also suffered its first loss last season losing the second game of a doubleheader on the road.

GAME 1:  Virginia 8, North Carolina 4

Three-straight run-scoring hits by Jackson Van De Brake, Tomas Frick and Alberto Osuna ad the Tar Heels up 3-0 just five batters into the bottom of the first.

The Cavaliers were knocking on the door in each of its first four turns at the plate, leaving eight runners on base, including five in scoring position. UVA finally scratched two unearned runs across on North Carolina starter Connor Bovair in the top of the fifth on an RBI single off the bat of Ethan Anderson and an RBI ground out by Henry Godbout that scored Casey Saucke.

Ethan O’Donnell tied the game up in the sixth with an opposite field, solo home run. The long ball was his second of the series and fourth of the season.

Anderson was at it again in the seventh, when he drove a 2-1 pitch down the left field line that was just out of the reach of a diving Patrick Alvarez in left field. The double scored two runs and gave UVA a 5-3 lead, its first of the day. Anderson finished game one 4-for-5 with a double, a run scored and three RBI.

Virginia added two insurance runs in the eighth when Jake Gelof scored on a wild pitch and Casey Saucke followed it up with a sharp RBI single through the right side that scored Kyle Teel.

After allowing the three runs in the first inning, Cavalier starting pitcher Brian Edgington grinded through the next 4.2 innings without allowing a run. The righthander took a no-decision after exiting with two outs in the sixth of a 3-3 ball game. Senior Jacob Hodorovich struck out the final batter of the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh. He was credited with his first career win.

Jay Woolfolk closed out the game for the Hoos, allowing one run over the final two innings. He escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth allowing the only run on a sacrifice fly. He finished the game off by working around a leadoff walk in the ninth.

GAME 2:  North Carolina 6, Virginia 0

The nightcap was a pitcher’s duel until North Carolina posted the first runs of the game in bottom of the fifth. Back-to-back, two-out RBI singles by Vance Honeycutt and Max Horvath broke the stalemate. Virginia starting pitcher Jack O’Connor was charged with three runs over five innings of work. He scattered four hits and struck out three in his ACC debut.

A two-run shot by Horvath in the seventh and a solo blast by first baseman Hunter Stokely in the eighth pushed the UNC advantage to 6-0.

Kyle Teel had a sure-fire RBI extra-base hit robbed by right fielder Casey Cook in the fifth inning who made a juggling, bare-handed catch at the wall. Trailing 3-0 in the seventh the Cavaliers had another chance to get on the board with two runners in scoring position for Jake Gelof but UNC reliever Matt Poston able to retire Gelof on strikes to end the threat.

Poston pitched the final 4.2 innings allowed two hits, walked one and struck out three to earn his second win of the season.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Ethan Anderson went 7-for-14 with a double and three RBI in the three game series. The four-hit performance was the fifth by a Cavalier this season. Anderson has three career four-hit games including two this season.
• O’Donnell went 5-for-14 (.357) with two home runs and four RBI in the three-game set. He is tied for the team lead with nine multi-hit games.
• Virginia and North Carolina have played 15 doubleheaders since 1961. North Carolina has won five Virginia has claimed two double dips and the teams have split the other eight.
• The Cavaliers shutout for the first time since be blanked by Notre Dame 3-0 in last year’s ACC Tournament.

UP NEXT

Virginia will return home on Tuesday to host George Washington in a non-conference tilt. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Disharoon Park.