Didawick’s Walk-Off Homer in the 13th Inning Sweeps HokiesDidawick’s Walk-Off Homer in the 13th Inning Sweeps Hokies

Didawick’s Walk-Off Homer in the 13th Inning Sweeps Hokies

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Sophomore Harrison Didawick hit a two-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the 13th inning to lift No. 18 Virginia (40-14, 18-12 ACC) to a 10-9 victory over Virginia Tech (32-20, 14-16 ACC) on Saturday (May 18) at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers swept the weekend series against the Hokies in a five-hour, 10-minute marathon, the third-longest game (time) in Virginia baseball history.

Virginia trailed 7-0 after the first two innings, was down 8-7 in the eighth and fell behind 9-8 in the top of the 13th only to come away with the sixth walk-off win of the season. The seven-run deficit was the largest UVA has overcome for a victory this season and the come-from-behind victory was the 20th of the year by the Cavaliers.

The home run for Didawick was his 22nd of the season and third of the weekend. He is now one home run shy of matching the program’s single season mark of 23 set by Jake Gelof last season. The Cavaliers hit 13 home runs in the series including four on Saturday.


Virginia earned the No. 4 seed in the upcoming ACC Championship in Charlotte (May 21-26) and will be in Pool D with No. 5 seed Florida State and No. 9 seed Georgia Tech. The complete schedule for the 2024 ACC Baseball Championship will be announced on Sunday morning (May 19).

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After falling behind 7-0 in the first two innings, Casey Saucke got the Hoos on the board in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer to left. It was Saucke’s 11th home run of the season and second in as many games.

  • Neither team would score over the next three innings until Virginia tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh with five runs, their 20th inning of five or more runs this season. Saucke began the rally with a single through the left side that scored Griff O’Ferrall.
  • Henry Ford pulled the Cavaliers within a run with a three-run homer to left, his 17th home run of the season.

  • Before the 5,084 fans in attendance could sit back down, Jacob Ference blasted the very next pitch into the bleacher in left to tie the game at seven. Ference has 17 home runs on the season, two this weekend and 13 have come in Atlantic Coast Conference action.

  • The Hokies recaptured the lead in their very next at bat on a two-out RBI single by Clay Grady to give Virginia Tech an 8-7 advantage.
  • Saucke drove in his fourth run of the night with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Eric Becker. The throw beat Becker to the plate but the ball squirted out of the catcher’s mitt when Becker slid to touch home.
  • The two teams went scoreless in each of the next four innings. UVA had its best chance to win the game in the bottom of the ninth when they loaded the bases with one out, but Virginia Tech reliever Brady Kirtner induced a pair of pop outs to end the threat.
  • The Hokies took their third lead of the night in the top of the 13th without recording a hit. A sacrifice fly to short left field by Eddie Michaletti Jr. was enough to score Carson DeMartini from third base.
  • Ethan Anderson drew a leadoff walk in the 13th and Virginia Tech opted to go with lefthander David Shoemaker to face the left-handed hitting Didawick, who had already homered off the southpaw in Friday’s game.
  • The Cavalier bullpen comprised of Jay Woolfolk (4.0 IP, 2 R, 5 SO), Angelo Tonas (2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 SO), Aidan Teel (2.1 IP, 1 R, 3 SO), Blake Barker (1.2 IP, 0 R, 2 SO) and Chase Hungate (2.0 IP, 1 R) combined for 12 innings of three-run baseball. The five pitchers totaled 11 strikeouts.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • The 13-inning affair was the longest in 203 previous meetings between the Cavaliers and Hokies. The longest game in the series prior to Saturday’s contest was on April 21, 1986, a 13-12, 12-inning win by Virginia Tech in Charlottesville.
  • It marked the 13th time in program history that UVA has played in a game that lasted 13 or more innings. It was the longest game since playing 13 against Boston College on April 10, 2016.
  • Virginia swept Virginia Tech for the first time since the 2016 season. It marked the seventh time Virginia has swept Virginia Tech under head coach Brian O’Connor.
  • UVA reached the 40-win plateau for the 14th time in program history and the 13th time under O’Connor.
  • Virginia is 5-0 in extra-inning games this season and has won its last seven extra-inning contests dating back to 2022.
  • The victory was the 600th win at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers are 600-177 (.772) at home since the facility opened in 2002.
  • Ford was 4-for-6 with a walk, a run scored and three-RBI. It was his second four-hit performance of the season.
  • The back-to-back home runs by Ford and Ference in the seventh inning marked the fourth time UVA has gone back-to-back this season.