No. 9 Virginia Falls in Midweek Matinee At VCUNo. 9 Virginia Falls in Midweek Matinee At VCU
Olivia McLucas/Virginia Sports

No. 9 Virginia Falls in Midweek Matinee At VCU

UVA leaves 16 on base, falls at VCU

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va. – In the final contest of a four-game road swing, the No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers (26-12) dropped a 6-2 ballgame to the VCU Rams (22-14) on Tuesday (April 14) at The Diamond.

In a game where the Cavaliers outhit the Rams 12-9, VCU scored six unanswered runs after a leadoff homer from AJ Gracia in the top of the first. In total, Virginia left a season-high 16 runners on the basepaths. 

Christian Lucarelli was handed a no-decision after surrendering one run in 1.2 innings of work. Out of the bullpen, Michael Yeager was tagged with the loss for allowing two runs over 2.1 innings. 

Harrison Didawick paced the Virginia offense on Tuesday with a 3-for-4 day that included a double, while the Cavalier trio of AJ Gracia, RJ Holmes and Sam Harris each recorded multi-hit games.  

Harrison Didawick paced the Virginia offense on Tuesday with a 3-for-4 day that included a double, while the Cavalier trio of AJ Gracia, RJ Holmes and Sam Harris each recorded multi-hit games.  

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Gracia turned on the fifth pitch of the game for a solo home run to left that put UVA out front 1-0. The long ball was his 11th of the year and will enter the weekend tied for the team lead.
  • VCU tied the contest an inning later with a two-out RBI single through the right side.
  • The Rams plated two more runs in the third on a bases-loaded passed ball and an RBI groundout to take a 3-1 lead.
  • Virginia loaded the bases in the fourth, but VCU got out of the jam with a groundball to second base.
  • In the bottom of the fifth, VCU’s Micheal Petite extended the Ram advantage to 4-1 with a solo home run to left.
  • VCU added to its lead in the sixth with a pair of RBI base knocks that made it a 6-1 contest.
  • UVA scratched across a run in the top of the eighth when Gracia singled home RJ Holmes, after the freshman led off the frame with a double down the line in left.
  • If relief, the Cavalier trio of Thomas Stewart, Jayden Stroman and Dean Kampschror held the Rams scoreless over the final 2.2 innings on Tuesday.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

  • Despite losing the season series finale, Virginia leads the all-time series with VCU, 54-26.
  • VCU’s victory on Tuesday snapped a 10-game win streak for the Cavaliers over the Rams.
  • With the loss, UVA falls to 19-2 on the season when scoring in the first inning and 19-3 when scoring first.
  • Tuesday marked only the third time this season that the Cavaliers out-hit their opponent and lost.
  • AJ Gracia’s leadoff home run was Virginia’s third of the season and first since Eric Becker opened the Wake Forest game on March 20 with a dinger.
  • Dean Kampschor tossed 1.1 scoreless innings on Tuesday to tie the longest outing of his career.

FROM COACH CHRIS POLLARD:

“Very few times in our sport will you win the hit total, have the same number of extra base hits, fewer errors and less free bases given and still lose a ball game. There is a reason why they call it the pitcher’s best friend. We hit into three double plays today and that killed innings. We left the bases loaded in two different situations. We left a lot of guys on base. We were 9-for-17 on Sunday at Notre Dame with runners in scoring position and today we hit into some double plays and didn’t come up with a big hit. That was the difference.”

UP NEXT

No. 9 Virginia will return to the friendly confines of Disharoon Park on Thursday (April 16) as the Cavaliers are set to host the Clemson Tigers for a three-game series. The series opener on Thursday is slated for a 7 p.m. first pitch and will be carried on the ACC Network and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).