No. 8 Virginia Pulls Away Late to Clinch Series

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 8 Virginia (21-2, 6-2 ACC) clinched its third-straight ACC series with a 12-4 win over Florida State (12-11, 3-5 ACC) on Saturday at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers scored eight runs in their final two turns at the plate, including six in the seventh, to create separation in the back third of the game.

Freshman Harrison Didawick put an exclamation point on UVA’s six-run seventh inning with a two-out, three-run double down the left field line. It marked the 10^th time this season UVA has scored five or more runs in a single inning. The lead changed hands three times before the Cavaliers went ahead for good for good in the sixth on an RBI double by Henry Godbout that scored Anthony Stephan from first base.

Godbout went 3-for-4 with a run scored, a double and three RBI in the contest. Junior Kyle Teel also put together a three-hit performance after he went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Teel upped his batting average to .467 on the season and leads the team 13 multi-hit games.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cavaliers and Seminoles exchanged blows in the first inning each plating a run. Florida State scored first for the second-straight day, this time on an RBI single by Treyton Rank. It was the first run UVA starting pitcher Brian Edgington had allowed in 11 innings. The Cavaliers responded with a two-out single up the middle by Ethan Anderson that scored Jake Gelof.

• FSU took its second lead of the day when James Tibbs III scored an unearned run on a single by Rank.
• UVA recaptured the lead in the fifth when Griff O’Ferrall and Ethan O’Donnell each scored runs on ground balls to the infield.
• The Seminoles tied it right back up on a solo home run by Tibbs to lead off the sixth.

• Already ahead 4-3 going into the seventh, Virginia sent 12 batters to the plate and needed only two hits to score six runs. A combination of four FSU pitchers combined to walk four batters, hit two more batters and threw two wild pitches. All but one run in the frame came with two outs.
• UVA starting pitcher Brian Edgington tossed five innings, allowed only one earned run and struck out five. The righthander retired six of the last seven batters he faced.
• Freshman Kevin Jaxel was credited with his second win of the week. He pitched the top of the sixth inning, allowed one run and struck out one. The run was the first he’s allowed in 8.1 innings pitched this season.
• Lefthander Jake Berry retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth innings and needed only 14 pitches to do so.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia scored nine of its 12 runs in the contest with two outs.
• Teel had reached base in all 23 games this season and has a team-best five, three-hit games.
• The Cavaliers improved to 15-0 at home and have won 16-straight dating back to last season.
• A win in the series finale on Sunday would match UVA’s best start through 24 games in program history. UVA started 22-2 twice in its history – 2013 and 2022.
• The Cavaliers are seeking their first sweep over Florida State since the 2013 season.
• The series win over Florida State is the first since winning the final two games in Tallahassee in 2017.

UP NEXT
The series finale is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday (March 25) at Disharoon Park. UVA will have freshman Jack O’Connor (1-1) on the mound. The Seminoles have yet to announce a starting pitcher.