Virginia Outslugs No. 24 Georgia Tech In Series Opener

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Virginia baseball team (23-15, 10-9 ACC) outlasted No. 24 Georgia Tech by a score of 12-9 on Friday night (April 25) at Russ Chandler Stadium.

Virginia trailed 3-2 after the opening three frames on Friday before the Cavalier offense erupted for seven runs in the top of the fourth to grab the lead for good. The seven-run fourth was the 15th time this season that UVA has scored five or more runs in a frame and the third time in the last three games.

UVA Freshman James Nunnallee paced the Cavalier attack by going 4-for-4 with three extra-base hits, three RBIs and three runs scored. Joining Nunnallee, the Virginia quartet of Aidan Teel, Harrison Didawick, Henry Ford and Luke Hanson each tallied multi-hit games on the evening.

Jay Woolfolk got the start on the mound for the Cavaliers and did not factor in the decision after surrendering six runs in 3.2 innings pitched with five strikeouts. Kevin Jaxel picked up his second win of the season on Friday in relief.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• After each team went down in order to open the game, Henry Godbout worked a one-out walk in the second. The UVA second baseman scored two at-bats later when Didawick smacked his first triple of the year down the line in right for the game’s first run.

• Three pitches later, Didawick scampered home on a Nunnallee double that split two Yellow Jacket outfielders and put the Cavaliers up 2-0.
• Georgia Tech took its only lead of the game in the bottom of the third when the home-standing Yellow Jackets plated three runs.
• The Georgia Tech lead didn’t last long as the Virginia offense exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth, featuring a pair of two-run homers from Nunnallee and Teel along with a three-run bomb off the bat of Godbout that made it a 9-3 contest.

• In the bottom of the frame, Georgia Tech scored three runs on an RBI single and a two-run home run from Kyle Lodise that cut the Cavalier lead in half.
• An inning later, Virginia stretched its lead to 11-6 on a two-run Eric Becker single that saw Hanson and Nunnallee come home.

• The two squads trade runs in the seventh as the final Cavalier run of the night came when Nunallee sprinted home on a Teel sacrifice fly.
• Georgia Tech attempted to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth before Matt Lanzendorfer slammed the door shut for the 12-9 Virginia victory and his third save of the season.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• With the win, Virginia moves to 4-1 on the season against ranked opponents.
• Virginia improves to 13-4 on the season when Aidan Teel bats leadoff.
• The seven-run fourth was the first time this season that the Cavaliers hit three home runs in an inning.
• On the year, the Cavaliers are 21-3 when scoring six or more runs in a game.
• Henry Ford extended his on-base streak to 22 games when he was hit by a pitch in the third inning.
• James Nunnallee’s home run in the fourth was the first of his collegiate career.

 UP NEXT

Virginia will look to take the series on Saturday (April 26) in the second game of the three-game set. The Cavaliers will have lefty Bradley Hodges (1-1) on the mound against the Yellow Jackets’ righthander Brady Jones (4-1). First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. on ACCNX.