Virginia Rides Historic Power Surge to Opening Weekend Sweep of Wagner

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – To close out the Opening Weekend of the 2026 season, the Virginia baseball team (3-0) swept a doubleheader against the Wagner Seahawks (0-3) on Saturday (Feb. 14) at Disharoon Park.

 

The Cavaliers prevailed 25-10 in game one before breaking the program record for runs scored in a game during the 31-8 drumming in the nightcap. UVA’s previous record for runs in a single game came in a 29-2 victory over Niagara in 2007.

 

Overall, Virginia’s 69 runs over the three-game series are the most by UVA in an opening weekend series this century. Game two’s 27-run margin of victory tied for the largest in program history.

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• The scoring started early for the Cavaliers as Joe Tiroly brought home AJ Gracia and Sam Harris with a two-run single in the bottom of the first. Harrison Didawick scored later in the inning to put Virginia 3-0 after the opening frame.
• In his first start for UVA, Noah Jouras hit a solo shot in the second to make it a 4-0 contest.
• UVA added a trio of runs in the third that was highlighted by a Didawick RBI double down the line in right.
• Wagner tagged the Virginia bullpen for five runs in the fourth before the Cavaliers answered with a 10-run spot in the bottom of the fifth to push the advantage to 17-5.
• In the sixth, the two squads traded runs, including Will Mahala crushing a ball to right field for the first home run of his collegiate career.
• Wagner scratched across four more runs in the visiting part of the seventh. In the home half of the frame, back-to-back-to-back RBI singles from JR Holmes, Zach Jackson and Antoino Perrota extended the Virginia edge to 22-10.
• To secure the series win, Holmes hit a two-run home run. The dinger solidified the 25-10 victory and was the first of Holmes’ career.

UP NEXT

Virginia will close out the season-opening homestand on Tuesday with the first midweek of the season against VMI. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. on ACCNX and WINA (98.9/1070 AM).

 

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Wagner opened the nightcap with a grand slam in the top of the first off the bat of Matt Sutera.
• Virginia got on the board in the bottom of the first thanks to the first of five Wagner errors in the contest.
• The visiting Seahawks added a pair of runs in the second before Eric Becker and Sam Harris each tallied a two-run double to bring the Cavaliers to within a run at 6-5 with two frames in the books.
• Another Wagner error that resulted in two more Virginia runs and a Becker RBI single in the bottom of the third gave UVA the lead for good at 8-6.
• UVA put the game out of reach with a 10-run bottom of the fourth that included a pair of two-run singles from Didawick and Thomas O’Connell.
• Virginia added two runs in the fifth before another five-spot in the sixth that made it 25-7 heading into the later stages.
• With a trio of runs already in, Noah Murray smashed a 2-2 pitch for a three-run blast to left that put UVA up 31-7 and set the program record for most runs in a single game.
• Wagner scratched across one more run in the ninth before Dean Kampschror closed out the historic day with a strikeout.

UP NEXT

Virginia will close out the season-opening homestand on Tuesday with the first midweek of the season against VMI. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. on ACCNX and WINA (98.9/1070 AM).