Ford’s Three-Homer Game Ignites Cavalier Comeback

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  – Freshman Henry Ford hit three home runs including the go-ahead blast in the eighth inning as No. 15 Virginia (24-6, 8-5 ACC) captured game one of a three-game series, 14-11 against No. 10 North Carolina (25-5, 10-3 ACC) on Thursday (April 4) at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers scored eight unanswered runs, erased a five-run deficit and registered their 15th come-from-behind victory of the season.

Ford initially put UVA ahead in the first inning with a grand slam, then tied the game at 11 with a solo shot in the sixth before giving UVA the lead for good in the eighth with a go-ahead, 405-foot solo blast with two outs to give UVA a 12-11 advantage. He finished the night going 3-for-5 with season-high, six RBI.

It marked the first three home run game by a Cavalier since Dan Street in 2002 and only the fifth time in program history that a UVA player has hit three home runs in a single game.

Reliever Blake Barker put a halt to the early scoring outburst from North Carolina, pitching 3.1 innings of scoreless relief. He matched a career-high with five strikeouts and faced the minimum in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After falling behind 2-0 in the first, UVA put together the largest first inning rally of the season, plating six runs. Ford put the Cavaliers ahead for the first time with his first inning grand slam that was followed by the third home run of the year by Luke Hanson, a two run shot to right center.

• The 6-2 UVA advantage dissipated after three innings as the ACC’s second-best scoring offense posted nine-straight runs, including seven in the third inning to open a 11-6 advantage.
• Freshman Eric Becker started the comeback with his first collegiate homer in the bottom of the fourth pulling UVA with in four.

• The Cavaliers manufactured three runs in the fifth thanks to an RBI groundout by Ethan Anderson and sacrifice fly from Griff O’Ferrall, before Bobby Whalen deposited a two-out single into right field that scored Hanson.
• Ford tied the game in the sixth with a lead-off, solo home run to left center, his second of the night.
• Ford’s go-ahead bomb in the eighth was the first of three two-out runs in the frame. Jacob Ference and Anderson each had RBI doubles to give UVA a three-run cushion going into the ninth.
• After Barker, relievers Ryan Osinski, Angelo Tonas and Matt Augustin combined for three shutout innings. Augustin was credited with his second win of the season, getting the final four outs.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia has come back to win when trailing by five or more runs four times this season. Three of the wins have come in ACC play against Top-10 opponents.
• The seven runs scored by North Carolina matched Miami (March 10) for the largest single-inning output against UVA this season. Virginia won both games despite surrendering the big rallies.
• Virginia scored six runs in the first inning, the most in their first at bat this season. UVA scored a total 13 runs in the first inning in its previous 29 games.
• Ford’s grand slam was the second of the season for the Cavaliers (Henry Godbout at George Washington on March 6).
• Ford’s three-home game was the fourth by a freshman in the NCAA this season.
• Anderson’s double in the eighth was his 50th of his career. He became the eighth Cavalier ever with 50 career doubles.
• Ference extended his hitting streak to 15 game games with a 2-for-5 effort at the plate.

UP NEXT

The series continues on Friday (April 5) with the middle game of a three-game series. The Cavaliers will have lefthander Evan Blanco (2-1) on the mound and he will be opposed by UNC righthander Jason DeCaro (1-0). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ACCNX.