Two Huge Innings Power No. 17 Virginia in Series Opener

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 17 Virginia (15-3, 2-2 ACC) came-from-behind on two different occasions in a 16-10 series-opening victory over No. 7 Wake Forest (12-5, 1-3 ACC) on Friday (March 15) at Disharoon Park. UVA scored seven runs in the second inning and then put together an eight-run, game-winning rally in the sixth.

Virginia overcame a five-run deficit in the second and was trailing 10-7 before exploding for eight runs in the sixth, matching the highest single-inning output of the season. A total of 13 of UVA’s 16 runs were scored with two outs.

Griff O’Ferrall went 3-for-6 with three runs scored and three RBI. Two of his hits came in the sixth inning. Graduate student Jacob Ference double twice and hit his second homer of the year in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate.

Reliever Jack O’Connor pitched three shutout innings, struck out four and was credited with his second save of the year. Junior Dean Kampschror earned his first career win after getting the final two outs of the sixth, both by way of the strikeout.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Wake Forest looked to be in the driver seat after plating five runs in the top of the second inning, four on grand slam by Adam Tellier. It was the fourth time this season a UVA opponent has scored five or more runs in an inning.
• The Cavaliers responded with seven runs on seven hits and sent 11 batters to the plate. Henry Ford’s two-run double gave UVA the lead for the first time. UVA received run-scoring hits from Ference (RBI double), Ethan Anderson (RBI double), O’Ferall (RBI single) and Casey Saucke (RBI single) in the inning.

• The Virginia two-run advantage was short lived as the Demon Deacons plated the game’s next five runs, including three in the third inning, knocking UVA starting pitcher Cullen McKay out of the game after 2.1 innings.
• Kampschror escaped a bases loaded jam in the sixth to limit Wake Forest to just one run.
• Twelve batters came to the plate in the bottom half of the sixth inning for UVA and the floodgates opened after a two-out error by Wake Forest. Seven of the eight runs that crossed were unearned and all eight came with two outs.

• O’Connor put three-straight zeros up on the board, scattering two hits over the final three innings of the game. In five relief appearances this season, O’Connor has not allowed a run and struck out 12 batters over 6.2 innings pitched.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The victory was Virginia’s 10th come-from-behind win of the season and was the second-largest comeback win of the season (Iowa – 6 runs).
• Bobby Whalen made his 10th start of the season and went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. He upped his batting average to a team-best, .490.
• Saucke extended his hitting streak to 10 games and has reached safely in 26-straight dating back to last season.
• Anderson and Anthony Stephan, who came on as a pinch-hitter to draw a bases loaded walk, have reached base safely in all 18 games this season.
• Virginia, which ranked second in the nation in hits coming into the series, registered its 15th double-digit effort of the year. The Wake Forest pitching staff came into the game allowing 6.75 hits per game, the second-fewest in the ACC and ninth-fewest in the country.
• Virginia has won seven of the last eight meetings against the Demon Deacons.

UP NEXT

The ACC series resumes on Saturday (March 16) with the middle game of a three-game set against the Demon Deacons. The Cavaliers will have lefty Evan Blanco (1-0) on the mound and he will be opposed by Wake Forest righthander Chase Burns (3-0). First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will air live on ACC Network.