No. 14 Virginia Cruises to 20-5 Win over George Washington

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 14 Virginia (15-1) scored in all but two trips to the plate in a 20-5 victory over George Washington (4-12) on Tuesday (March 14) at Disharoon Park. The 20-run offensive output was the third of the season for the Cavaliers who came into the contest as the nation’s fifth-highest scoring offense.

The three, 20-run games this season match a program record originally set in 1889 and duplicated in 1898 and 1905.

The Cavaliers racked up 17 hits and scored four runs in the first, third and sixth innings. Their five-run outburst in the fifth pushed the Cavalier lead to double digits and put the game out of reach. Junior Ethan O’Donnell went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI in the contest. Sophomore Casey Saucke also drove in three runs in a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

In a scheduled staff day, starting pitcher Connelly Early was credited with his team-best, fourth win of the season after pitching the first three innings without yielding a run. The lefthander faced 11 batters, scattered four hits and struck out three batters.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cavaliers plated four runs in their first turn at the plate, three unearned, beginning with a two-out RBI single by Ethan Anderson. Freshman Henry Godbout followed with a double to straightaway center, scoring a pair of runs.

• O’Donnell continued his hot hitting, blasting his fifth home run of the year and third in the last four games with a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field. O’Donnell had all three of his RBI in his first three at bats.

• The Cavaliers used another four-run rally in the third and again it was O’Donnell who came through with two outs. The junior singled into right center and plated Harrison Didawick and Godbout to put UVA up 9-0.
• The Colonials used a four-run outburst of their own to narrow the gap in the top of the fifth. Three runs came in on a bases clearing double by designated hitter Anthony Frechette.
• With the lead cut down five, the Cavaliers responded with five runs in the bottom half, three scored on a double to center by Casey Saucke.

• The Cavaliers added four more runs in the sixth, two came on a two-RBI single by Chris Baker that scored Colin Tuft and Luke Hanson. Anthony Stephan’s double to left Center gave UVA a 18-4 advantage.
• Virginia reached its 20^th run on an RBI groundout by Travis Reifsnider that scored Luke Hanson in the seventh inning.
• The Cavaliers used seven pitchers in the contest, six of whom did not allow a run – Evan Blanco (1.0 IP), Chase Hungate (1.1 IP), Bradley Hodges (1.0 IP), Matthew Buchanan (1.0) and Kevin Jaxel. The seven pitchers combined to strike out 10 GW batters.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Ethan Anderson extended his hitting streak to 13 games in the first inning, plating UVA’s first run. He finished 1-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
• The Cavaliers remain undefeated at home this season (11-0) and have won 12-straight at Disharoon Park dating back to last season.
• Virginia has scored 29 first-inning runs, the most of any other inning.
• UVA has scored five or more runs in a single inning, nine times this season.
• The Cavaliers were 10-for-18 (.556) with two outs and scored 10 of the 20 runs with two outs.
• Sophomore Matthew Buchanan made his season debut for the Cavaliers and pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
• Bradley Hodges, who pitched the top of the seventh inning, was hit by a pitch in the bottom half of the inning, his first collegiate at bat.
• Eight of the nine batters in the original lineup collected at least one hit and 11 different Cavaliers were responsible for the 17 hits on the day.

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers will turn around and play a three-game road series at No. 23 NC State beginning Thursday (March 16). The series opener in Raleigh is will air live on ACC Network with first pitch at 7 p.m.