No. 8 Virginia Sweeps FSU, Improves to 22-2

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 8 Virginia (22-2, 7-2 ACC) scored the first nine runs of a 15-4 victory over Florida State (12-12, 3-6 ACC) on Sunday (March 26), completing a three-game series sweep. At 22-2, Virginia has matched its best start in program history through 24 games.

The 15-run outburst, tied for the most in the all-time series against FSU, was powered by an eight-run second inning. Junior Jake Gelof brought the Disharoon Park faithful to their feet with a three-run homer off the clubhouse in left center field. He capped the rally with an RBI single and had all four of his RBI on the day in the second inning. Gelof finished a triple short of the cycle, going 4-for-5 with a double and four RBI.

Virginia registered its first series sweep of the season and the first of Florida State since the 2013 season. Through the first three weekends of conference play, UVA’s seven ACC wins are the most of any Coastal Division foe and tied with Wake Forest for the most in the league.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Making his seventh start of the season sophomore Anthony Stephan drove in the game’s first run on a double to right field. He then followed Gelof in the second inning with a two-run single to put UVA up 6-0. Stephan was 4-for-6 with three runs scored a double, three walks and three RBI in three games this weekend.

• The second inning featured 13 UVA batters and seven hits. It marked the 11^th time this season UVA scored five or more runs in an inning and the fourth time UVA has posted eight or more in an inning this season.
• Florida State pulled within six with two runs (one earned) on three hits in the fifth inning. The tacked on another run on an RBI single by Jodan Carrion in the sixth to make it 9-3.
• The Cavaliers went on to score six of the game’s next seven runs to put the game out of reach. After scoring two runs in the sixth, Ethan Anderson homered to lead off the seventh inning.

• Harrison Didawick recorded his team-leading, third triple of the year to plate Stephan and pitch-hitter Luke Hanson capped UVA’s day at the plate with an RBI single to right center.
• Hanson turned around in the top of the eighth inning and made a spinning play up the middle at shortstop for the final out of the frame.

• UVA starting pitcher allowed an earned run over five innings and was credited with his second win of the year. He worked around three hits and an error in his first two innings but threw a total of 17 pitches between the third and fourth innings to settle in. O’Connor finished with three strikeouts, including the last batter of the fifth to strand a runner at first.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Jake Gelof moved into a tie with Mike Lindner (1987-90) for fourth place on Virginia’s all-time home with his 33^rd career home run. Gelof has homered in seven-straight ACC series dating back to last season. He is four homers shy of tying E.J. Anderson’s school mark set from 1995-98.
• The Cavaliers improved to 16-0 at home and have won 17-straight dating back to last season. The school record for consecutive wins at home is 19, set last season.
• UVA has started 22-2 in its first 24 games twice in its history – 2013 and 2022.
• The Cavaliers last swept Florida State in 2013 in Charlottesville. UVA took both games of a doubleheader before winning the finale 5-2.
• Under head coach Brian O’Connor, Virginia is 26-25 against Florida State.
• The 15 runs against FSU were tied for the most by Virginia in the all-time series. The Cavaliers won 15-2 on March 13, 2009, the largest margin of victory for UVA against the Seminoles.

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers will wrap up a six-game homestand on Tuesday against Old Dominion, a matchup of two 20-win teams. First pitch at Disharoon Park is scheduled for 5 p.m.