Gelof Breaks UVA Career Home Run Record, Hoos Run-Rule Richmond

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Junior Jake Gelof hit his 38th career home run, a solo shot in the fifth inning to break UVA’s all-time home run record as No. 7 Virginia (29-4) shut out Richmond, 18-0 in seven innings at Disharoon Park on Tuesday (April 11). The Cavaliers extended the nation’s longest home win streak to 22 games with the victory.

Gelof ignited an eight-run fifth inning by lining a 0-2 pitch over the left field wall. The historic home run placed him alone atop UVA’s career home run list, surpassing E.J. Anderson (1995-98) for the program record. Gelof has sprinted towards the finish line with four home runs in his last four games. He went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI in Tuesday’s contest.

Gelof has amassed the 38 home runs over 129 career games and 454 at bats. He hit four as a freshman in 2021, 21 as a sophomore in 2022 and has a team-best, 13 this season.

The Cavaliers scored 15 runs, eight in the fifth and seven in the sixth, to record their second run-rule win over the season. Ethan Anderson and Harrison Didawick each hit grand slams in the contest, the fourth time since 2000 that UVA has hit two grand slams in the same game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Virginia controlled the game from the start, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Anderson drove in the first run of the game with a two-out single that scored Griff O’Ferrall. Gelof scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 after two.

• Virginia scored seven of its eight runs in the fifth inning with two outs and sent 13 batters to the plate. Didawick broke the game open with a towering blast over the right field wall, UVA’s first grand slam of the season.

• Up 11-0 going into the sixth, UVA tacked on seven more runs, capped by the first career grand slam of Anderson’s career to put the Cavaliers up 18-0. Anderson went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and a career-high, five RBI.

• Starting pitcher Connelly Early improved to 7-1 on the season after pitching six shutout innings. He allowed two hits, issued two walks and struck out four batters in his third quality start of the season. Early has started two of UVA’s ACC-best, five shutouts this season.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia extended its win streak against non-conference opponents in regular season action to 22 games.
• The Cavaliers have won all 21 games at Disharoon Park this season and 22-straight dating back to last season, adding to their program record.
• Kyle Teel went 2-for-4 with an RBI, upping his batting average to an ACC-high, .474. He has reached base safely in all 33 games this season.
• Virginia has score five or more runs in a single inning 15 times this season, including the seven and eight-run outbursts on Tuesday.
• Virginia has won 19 of the last 20 meetings against Richmond and are 18-1 against the Spiders under head coach Brian O’Connor.
• It marked the second straight season UVA has hit two grand slams in the same game since 2000. The Cavaliers hit two in a game at George Mason on April 22, 2002, at ECU on Feb. 15, 2013, against Boston College on March 19, 2022 and today against Richmond.
• Virginia was hit by six pitches in the contest, matching a season high (Longwood – 2/21).

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers will wrap up midweek action on Wednesday when they host Mount St. Mary’s at Disharoon Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.