From UVa:
Virginia Defeats North Carolina, 2-1 in 10 Innings
Cavaliers rally in ninth inning for key victory
The Virginia baseball team scored a run in the ninth inning to tie the game and pushed across the go-ahead run in the 10th to claim a crucial 2-1 win over North Carolina Thursday evening in the opener of a three-game ACC series at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Virginia (31-19, 13-15 ACC) reduced its magic number to clinch an ACC tournament bid to one and needs either a win or a Wake Forest loss over the next two games to seal a berth in the tournament.
“It was just a complete team effort,” Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor said. “Connor Jones was outstanding to go out there and give us eight strong innings and keep the game in check. (UNC’s) pitching was very good, but we hung in there and found a way to get a run in the ninth and another in the 10th. It was a huge win for us.”
Both starting pitchers were tremendous. Virginia starting pitcher Connor Jones (So., Chesapeake, Va.) was brilliant as he worked a career-high eight innings, giving up a run, seven hits and one intentional walk while striking out nine. UNC starter Zac Gallen went 8 1/3 innings, allowing a run, five hits and two walks while striking out six.
After moving to the mound from center field, Adam Haseley (Fr., Windermere, Fla.) earned the win and improved to 2-1 after pitching a perfect ninth inning. He also scored the eventual game-winning run after doubling in the 10th inning. Alec Bettinger (So., Woodbridge, Va.) stranded runners at second and third base in the 10th inning to earn his third save. Trent Thornton (3-6) took the loss for North Carolina (32-20, 13-14) after allowing the 10th-inning run.
Both teams finished with seven hits in the pitchers’ duel. Kenny Towns (Sr., Burke, Va.) and Robbie Coman (Jr., Lake Worth, Fla.) each had two hits for UVa. Tyler Ramirez hit a sixth-inning home run to account for the Tar Heels’ lone run.
After eight innings of frustration at the plate, Virginia scratched across a run in the ninth inning. With one out Pavin Smith (Fr., Jupiter, Fla.) doubled to center field. UNC went to reliever Trevor Kelley, but on the second pitch Coman hit a bouncer up the middle that caromed off the glove of a diving Elijah Sutherland at second base to easily score Smith.
Haseley led off the 10th inning with a double to left-center field. After Daniel Pinero (So., Toronto, Ontario) walked, Matt Thaiss (So., Jackson, N.J.) laid down a sacrifice bunt. UNC intentionally walked Towns to load the bases, and Smith hit a grounder over the mound but the Tar Heels were just able to get the force out at second, as Smith beat out the throw to first base with Haseley scoring on the play.
UNC threatened in its half of the 10th. Bettinger walked the leadoff batter, Alex Raburn. After Logan Warmoth bunted the runner to second base, Coman was charged with a passed ball to put Raburn on third. Bettinger struck out pinch hitter Zack Gahagan for the second out. UVa elected to intentionally walk Ramirez, and he then stole second base to put the winning run in scoring position. Bettinger buckled down to get Landon Lassiter to foul out to right field to end the game.
Virginia had a great scoring chance in the fourth inning, putting runners at the corners with one out after Sutherland booted a potential double-play ball. Gallen rebounded to get Coman to pop up to short before Kevin Doherty (Jr., Laytonsville, Md.) grounded out to end the inning.
After 5 1Ž2 scoreless innings, UNC broke through in the sixth inning when Ramirez led off with a home run off the scoreboard in left-center field, his eighth home run of the season.
UVa earned its second extra-inning win of the season. The Cavaliers topped Marist, 5-4 in 18 innings on Feb. 22, in the longest game by innings in program history.
Game 2 of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday and will be streamed online on ESPN3. The series finale is slated for noon Saturday and will be televised by ESPNU.
Virginia Defeats North Carolina, 2-1 in 10 Innings
Cavaliers rally in ninth inning for key victory
The Virginia baseball team scored a run in the ninth inning to tie the game and pushed across the go-ahead run in the 10th to claim a crucial 2-1 win over North Carolina Thursday evening in the opener of a three-game ACC series at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Virginia (31-19, 13-15 ACC) reduced its magic number to clinch an ACC tournament bid to one and needs either a win or a Wake Forest loss over the next two games to seal a berth in the tournament.
“It was just a complete team effort,” Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor said. “Connor Jones was outstanding to go out there and give us eight strong innings and keep the game in check. (UNC’s) pitching was very good, but we hung in there and found a way to get a run in the ninth and another in the 10th. It was a huge win for us.”
Both starting pitchers were tremendous. Virginia starting pitcher Connor Jones (So., Chesapeake, Va.) was brilliant as he worked a career-high eight innings, giving up a run, seven hits and one intentional walk while striking out nine. UNC starter Zac Gallen went 8 1/3 innings, allowing a run, five hits and two walks while striking out six.
After moving to the mound from center field, Adam Haseley (Fr., Windermere, Fla.) earned the win and improved to 2-1 after pitching a perfect ninth inning. He also scored the eventual game-winning run after doubling in the 10th inning. Alec Bettinger (So., Woodbridge, Va.) stranded runners at second and third base in the 10th inning to earn his third save. Trent Thornton (3-6) took the loss for North Carolina (32-20, 13-14) after allowing the 10th-inning run.
Both teams finished with seven hits in the pitchers’ duel. Kenny Towns (Sr., Burke, Va.) and Robbie Coman (Jr., Lake Worth, Fla.) each had two hits for UVa. Tyler Ramirez hit a sixth-inning home run to account for the Tar Heels’ lone run.
After eight innings of frustration at the plate, Virginia scratched across a run in the ninth inning. With one out Pavin Smith (Fr., Jupiter, Fla.) doubled to center field. UNC went to reliever Trevor Kelley, but on the second pitch Coman hit a bouncer up the middle that caromed off the glove of a diving Elijah Sutherland at second base to easily score Smith.
Haseley led off the 10th inning with a double to left-center field. After Daniel Pinero (So., Toronto, Ontario) walked, Matt Thaiss (So., Jackson, N.J.) laid down a sacrifice bunt. UNC intentionally walked Towns to load the bases, and Smith hit a grounder over the mound but the Tar Heels were just able to get the force out at second, as Smith beat out the throw to first base with Haseley scoring on the play.
UNC threatened in its half of the 10th. Bettinger walked the leadoff batter, Alex Raburn. After Logan Warmoth bunted the runner to second base, Coman was charged with a passed ball to put Raburn on third. Bettinger struck out pinch hitter Zack Gahagan for the second out. UVa elected to intentionally walk Ramirez, and he then stole second base to put the winning run in scoring position. Bettinger buckled down to get Landon Lassiter to foul out to right field to end the game.
Virginia had a great scoring chance in the fourth inning, putting runners at the corners with one out after Sutherland booted a potential double-play ball. Gallen rebounded to get Coman to pop up to short before Kevin Doherty (Jr., Laytonsville, Md.) grounded out to end the inning.
After 5 1Ž2 scoreless innings, UNC broke through in the sixth inning when Ramirez led off with a home run off the scoreboard in left-center field, his eighth home run of the season.
UVa earned its second extra-inning win of the season. The Cavaliers topped Marist, 5-4 in 18 innings on Feb. 22, in the longest game by innings in program history.
Game 2 of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday and will be streamed online on ESPN3. The series finale is slated for noon Saturday and will be televised by ESPNU.
