No. 14 Cavaliers Sprint Past Virginia Tech to Clinch Commonwealth Clash SeriesNo. 14 Cavaliers Sprint Past Virginia Tech to Clinch Commonwealth Clash Series

No. 14 Cavaliers Sprint Past Virginia Tech to Clinch Commonwealth Clash Series

Hoos clinch Commonwealth Clash with win over Virginia Tech

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 14 Virginia baseball team (16-3, 4-1 ACC) secured its second ACC series win of the season on Saturday (March 14) with a 10-5 victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies (8-9, 1-4 ACC) at Disharoon Park.

 

Virginia’s offense exploded for seven runs over the first two innings to set the pace in Saturday’s contest, which saw four different Cavaliers hit home runs.

 

Max Stammel picked up the win for UVA by throwing six innings of work with a pair of strikeouts. AJ Gracia and Sam Harris led the way offensively, with each going 2-for-4 with a home run. Harris and fellow infielder Joe Tiroly each drove in a trio of runs on Saturday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After a scoreless frame in the top of the first, Eric Becker was hit by a pitch before a Gracia walk put two Cavaliers on base for Tiroly. The junior second baseman took the second pitch he saw to the bleachers in left field for a tone-setting three-run blast. The homer was his third of the season and second of the weekend.
  • Later in the inning, Zach Jackson doubled home Harrison Didawick to put UVA up 4-0 with one inning in the books.
  • The onslaught continued in the second when Jake Weatherspoon homered in the first at-bat of his Virginia career. Harris put Virginia out front 7-0 a few at-bats later with a two-run dinger that scored Becker.
  • In the top of the fourth, the Hokies got on the board thanks to a grand slam off the bat of Owen Petrich.
  • Just like in the series opener, UVA answered in the bottom of the frame. Gracia smacked a solo home run that landed in the Virginia bullpen before Harris clobbered his second homer of the contest later in the inning. The pair of solo shots made it a 9-4 contest in favor of the Cavaliers.
  • Virginia Tech’s final run of the ballgame came in the fifth inning when the Hokies’ Hudson Lutterman homered to left field.
  • Becker added some insurance in the home half of the fifth on a sacrifice fly that scored Noah Murray to push the Virginia advantage to 10-5.
  • Out of the bullpen, Noah Yoder and Kevin Jaxel combined for three shutout innings to seal the 10-5 Virginia victory.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • With the win, Virginia improves its home win streak to 18 games dating back to last season. The 18-game heater is the longest win streak in the Power Four.
  • The Cavaliers have now won 16 of the 21 series against the Hokies since Virginia Tech joined the ACC in 2005.
  • UVA has taken nine of the 10 series played against Virginia Tech in Charlottesville.
  • On the season, Virginia is 12-1 when hitting two or more home runs and 8-0 when scoring 10 or more runs.
  • Saturday was Sam Harris’ second multi-home run game this season and the first at Disharoon Park.
  • UVA starter Max Stammel tied his career high by pitching six innings on Saturday.
  • With his walk in the first inning, AJ Gracia has reached each base in all 19 games this season.
  • Saturday’s series win clinches Virginia a share of the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash. UVA will exit the weekend leading 11-4, with seven sports remaining.

FROM HEAD COACH CHRIS POLLARD

“It is just an explosive group. I’ve watched Renfrow tie us in knots for the last two years. He has a really good arm and is a good competitor. We made a conscious decision to try and take away the fastball from him and we were able to do that. We put a couple of really good swings on and we were able to get him out of the ballgame early.”

UP NEXT

No. 14 Virginia will look to finish the sweep of Virginia Tech on Sunday (March 15) at 1 p.m. at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers will have freshman John Paone on the bump for a contest that will be carried on ACCNX and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).