Ford Homers Twice To Secure Series Sweep Over Miami

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia baseball team (30-16, 14-10 ACC) outlasted the Miami Hurricanes (30-21, 14-12 ACC) in an 8-6 contest on Sunday afternoon at Disharoon Park for the Cavaliers’ sixth-straight victory.

Henry Ford overpowered the Hurricane pitching staff on Sunday by going 3-for-3 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs to tie his season high. The sophomore also scored three times in the contest.

UVA starter Tomas Valincius picked up his fifth win of the season by surrendering a trio of runs over his 6.1 innings of work with seven strikeouts.

Before the game started, Virginia hosted a Senior Day ceremony that celebrated the careers of Alex Markus, Blake Barker, Dean Kampschror, Jacob Ference, Jay Woolfolk, Matthew Buchanan, Matt Lanzendorfer, and Wes Arrington.

HOW IT HAPPENED  

• Virginia wasted no time on Sunday as Ford put the Cavaliers up 2-0 in the bottom of the first with a two-run homer. The dinger was eight of the season and UVA’s fifth of the weekend.

• In the bottom of the third, Eric Becker and Ford worked a pair of leadoff walks before coming around to score on a two-out Ference single that made it 4-0 after the opening three innings.

• UVA plated three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by back-to-back RBI doubles from Becker and Ford to extend the lead to 7-0.

• Miami pulled within two runs at 7-5 with a five-run top of the seventh that featured a three-run home run off the bat of Daniel Cuvet.
• Virginia promptly answered following the stretch when Ford belted his second home run of the contest to right field to extend the Cavalier advantage to 8-5.

• Out of the bullpen, Arrington tossed a scoreless eighth to set up the dramatics in the ninth inning.
• In the top of the ninth, a lead-off walk came around to score before the Cavalier pitching trio of Buchanan, Bryson Moore and Lazendorfer each recorded an out to secure the 8-6 Virginia victory along with the series sweep.

 ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia improves to 20-5 when Aidan Teel bats leadoff.
• Dating back to the April 6 contest at NC State, the Cavaliers have hit at least one home run in 17 straight games.
• UVA improves to 28-4 on the season when scoring six or more runs.
• Henry Ford’s two home run performance on Sunday was Ford’s second multi-home run game of the season and fifth of his career.
• James Nunnallee extended his reached safely streak to 13 games on Sunday with a double in the fourth inning.
• Sunday’s win gives Virginia 30 wins on the season, which is the 20th time in the 22-year tenure of Brian O’Connor that UVA has won at least 30 games.
• With the weekend sweep, the Cavaliers improve to 38-37 all-time against Miami.

 UP NEXT

Virginia will conclude its home slate on Tuesday (May 13) as the Cavaliers are set to host the George Mason Patriots. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be carried on ACCNX and WINA (98.9 FM and 1070 AM).