Probable Starting Pitchers:
THURSDAY – 7 PM
Clemson: RHP Aidan Knaak (2-3, 4.30 ERA, 37.2 IP, 15 BB, 60 SO)
Virginia: LHP Henry Zatkowski (5-2, 4.30 ERA, 46.0 IP, 13 BB, 52 SO)
FRIDAY – 8 PM
Clemson: RHP Michael Sharman (4-1, 2.96 ERA, 48.2 IP, 9 BB, 48 SO)
Virginia: LHP Kyle Johnson (0-1, 4.09 ERA, 11.0 IP, 5 BB, 15 SO)
SATURDAY – 1 PM
Clemson: TBA
Virginia: TBA
LEADING OFF
- Entering the weekend, Virginia is averaging 8.9 runs per game, which ranks 15th in the country and fourth in the league behind Georgia Tech, Miami and Pittsburgh. Overall, UVA has scored the 10th-most runs in the country at 338.
- UVA’s 68 home runs have powered the power surge through the first 38 games of the season. The 68 dingers rank 12th nationally and third in the ACC. In 2025, the Cavaliers only hit 69 home runs as a team.
- Since the start of the 2021 season, Virginia is 148-42 at Disharoon Park, including 15-5 this year. Over the first 20 home games of the season, UVA is averaging 8.9 runs per game.
AGAINST CLEMSON
- In a series dating back to 1955, the Virginia Cavaliers and Clemson Tigers have met 170 times on the baseball diamond, with Clemson winning 110 of those matchups.
- Since the start of the 2006 season, Virginia leads 25-12 and has won eight of the 11 series in that time span.
- The two squads have not met since 2022, when the Cavaliers took three from the Tigers, including a 6-3 win in the nightcap of a Sunday doubleheader.
- Dean Kampschror is the only Cavalier who was on the UVA roster the last time Virginia and Clemson played each other. Kampschror did not see any action as a freshman in 2022.
ON THE MOUND
- After a week away from the rotation, Henry Zatkowski returns as a starter on Thursday night. The talented lefty is 5-0 on the season with a 4.30 ERA.
- Zatkowski has made six pitching appearances at home this year and is 4-0 with a 4.13 ERA in 28.1 innings with 41 strikeouts.
- In game two of the series, Kyle Johnson will be handed the ball on Friday. Entering the weekend, Johnson is 0-1 with a 4.13 ERA in limited action this season.
- Johnson has made two starts on the mound at Disharoon Park and has not allowed a run in five innings pitched with 15 strikeouts.
- To close out the weekend, To Be Announced will be handed the rock on Saturday. To Be Announced is a highly touted hurler from an undisclosed location.
SOUTH BEND SLUGGERS
- En route to its first series at Notre Dame since 2019, the Virginia offense came alive by crushing 10 home runs over the course of the weekend.
- In game one, Harrison Didawick cemented his place in the Virginia Blue & Orange as the senior moved to second all-time on the career home run list with a pair of dingers. With the game tied at four in the ninth, a Zach Jackson long ball opened the floodgates as Virginia won 8-4.
- To take the series, UVA exploded for 20 runs on 18 hits, including six home runs from five different Cavaliers in a 20-5 thrashing.
MIDSEASON HONORS FOR THE HOOS
- As the calendar turns to April, several Hoos have garnered national attention for their stellar play over the first half of the season.
- Four different Hoos were named to the various Perfect Game Midseason All-American teams when the publication announced its selections on Wednesday. AJ Gracia led the way on the first team while Lucas Hartman and Eric Becker landed on the second and third teams, respectively. Noah Yoder was named to the Freshman second team to round out the Virginia quartet.
- D1Baseball also announced its midseason accolades on Wednesday as Lucas Hartman earned second team Midseason All-American honors.
- To go along with his midseason All-American honors, Gracia was named to the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List. The UVA outfielder was one of 45 amateur baseball players who were named to the watch list.
FRED NATED & BIRDBALLED
- Virginia bookended its four-game road swing with a pair of wins over Maryland in Fredericksburg and Boston College in the weekend series finale.
- During UVA’s annual contest with Maryland at Virginia Credit Union Stadium, UVA picked up its ninth comeback victory of the year while also collecting its fifth run-rule victory of the season.
- After dropping the first two games of the weekend series at Boston College, the Cavaliers notched a 3-1 victory to salvage the weekend. The win was UVA’s 10th comeback victory of the season and the first win of the year when Virginia trailed in the seventh inning or later.
DEFORESTATION AT THE DISH
- For its seventh-straight ACC series win dating back to the end of the 2025 season, Virginia took two of three from the then-No. 24 Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
- With the series win, UVA improves to 38-12 in the last 50 games that the Cavaliers have played on the baseball diamond.
- In the series opener, Kyle Johnson made his UVA debut on the mound and set the tone with an electric 10-pitch inning. In the bottom of the frame, the Virginia offense exploded for five runs and cruised to a 10-6 victory.
- Sunday’s rubber match saw Virginia collect its eighth come-from-behind victory behind another offensive eruption and 4.2 shutout relief innings from the bullpen duo of Noah Yoder and Lucas Hartman.
CLASH POINT SECURED
- For the opening home weekend of ACC play, Virginia took two of three games from in-commonwealth rival Virginia Tech at Disharoon Park.
- In game one, UVA rode a career-high performance from Henry Zatkowski as the lefty fanned 10 Hokies. The Virginia office exploded for eight runs over the middle third to take the series opener.
- To claim the series, four different Cavaliers homered, led by Sam Harris, who did it twice, as Virginia got a trio of shutdown innings from Kevin Jaxel and Noah Yoder in relief.
- The Saturday series clincher gave Virginia a share of the Smithfield Commonwealth Clash. UVA exited the weekend leading 11-4, with seven sports remaining.
CAROLINA CONQUERED
- For the opening weekend of ACC play, Virginia took two of three games from No. 8 North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Cavaliers outscored the Tar Heels 29-13 during the weekend set.
- In game one, UVA rode monster offensive performances from Harrison Didawick, Noah Murray and Eric Becker to a 13-3 victory in seven innings. Henry Zatkowski held North Carolina to five hits over 5.1 innings of work.
- To claim the series, Max Stammel had his best game in a Virginia uniform, surrendering one run in six innings. Zach Jackson and Sam Harris each homered in the 9-2 victory.
