No. 10 Virginia Tops George Mason to Kick Off Homestand

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  – No. 10 Virginia (29-9) bounced back from Tuesday’s loss to ODU with an 11-5 win over George Mason (16-18) on Wednesday (April 17) at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers racked up 14 hits and scored double-digit runs for the 20th time this season.

The Cavaliers broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with consecutive triples by Luke Hanson and Eric Becker followed by an RBI double by Griff O’Ferrall to plate three runs and never looked back. Becker added his fourth home run of the season, his third in the last five games, to finish 2-for-4 with a triple, home run and a game-high four RBI.

On the mound, Angelo Tonas was credited with his first win of the season taking over in the sixth inning. He allowed two runs over two innings and after UVA captured the lead in the sixth he followed with a six-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the seventh

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Casey Saucke plated two of the Cavaliers first three runs beginning with an RBI single in the first and then an RBI double in the fifth that gave UVA a 4-2 cushion. Saucke was 3-for-5 with two RBI, his sixth three-hit performance of the year.
• The Patriots tied the game up in the top half of the sixth on a solo homer by Reece Woody and RBI single by Carsen Pract.
• The lead was short-lived as UVA scored three-runs in the bottom half, all with two outs to take the lead for good. Hanson pushed the go-ahead run across with his first career triple to plate Ethan Anderson. Becker followed with his first career three-batter that scored Hanson. O’Ferrall finished off the extra-base hit train with an RBI double, his second hit of the night.
• A George Mason fielding error in the seventh extended the inning and allowed Becker to blast a three-run homer to right center, his fourth of the season.
• Jacob Ference added the exclamation point with solo blast in the bottom of the eighth, his 10th home run of the season. The long ball was the 30th of his career.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Freshman Bryson Moore made his first collegiate start in the contest and appeared in a game for the first time since Feb. 23. He became UVA’s 11th different starting pitcher this season.
• The Virginia infield turned three double plays, the second time this season it has spun three or more double plays in a game (4 at Pitt on March 24).
• Virginia scored its last eight runs with two outs.
• UVA upped its season home run total to 68, the third-most in a single season in UVA history.
• The Cavaliers improve to 28-12 all-time against George Mason and have won seven-straight meetings dating back to the 2004 season.

UP NEXT

Virginia will resume ACC play this weekend with a three-game series against Georgia Tech. The series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday (April 19) followed by the middle game on Saturday (April 20) at 4 p.m. and finishes with the finale on Sunday (April 21) at 1 p.m. All three games will air on ACCNX.