DURHAM, N.C. – Josh Sborz truly reflects what fans and supporters of Virginia baseball have found to be true of the majority of players that go through the Cavalier program. The players care more about the name on the front of the jersey than the name on back and will do whatever is required to win.
Last season, Sborz started 15 games, including three NCAA Tournament outings. He posted a 6-4 record. Coming into the 2015 season, however, Sborz was asked to leave the starting rotation and return to the bullpen as the closer. As a freshman he made 27 appearances in relief. Sborz readily accepted his new role and his coach, Brian O’Connor, could not have been more vigorous with his praise.
“He’s been our closer all year,” O’Connor said. “Somebody that is as talented as he is and started our rotation all year last year. Then the coach goes to him before the season and says that the best thing for this team is for him to pitch at the end of the ballgame for us. And he says, coach, whatever we need to do to win. He’s been very, very unselfish. It’s amazing when you take that approach in this game how the game comes back and rewards you.”
Tuesday, Sborz was asked to pitch Virginia into ACC Tournament pool play in an elimination game against Georgia Tech. The junior right hander responded in a big way. He hurled a complete game while holding the Jackets scoreless for seven innings in an 11-0 route. The game was halted by the league tournament’s 10-run mercy rule. Sborz’s complete game was the first by a Virginia pitcher this year.
Entering what became the final frame, Sborz had faced the minimum 18 batters and was three outs away from a perfect game. A lead-off double ended that chance, but Sborz was spectacular nonetheless. He allowed the lone hit, walked two batters, and sat down eight Georgia Tech hitters via the strikeout.
“I was pretty aware of the perfect game,” said Sborz. “I was pretty upset when the ball was hit. I didn’t think it was gone, but I knew the perfect game was over.”
Despite that high strikeout total, Sborz threw just 89 pitches – 28 of which came in the seventh inning. Overall the junior righty averaged just 12.1 pitches per inning. It was a dominant outing for the 6’3″ junior.
Since Nathan Kirby went down with an injury, Sborz has been asked to carry some of the starter load and he has been up to the task. In addition to leading the conference in saves as Virginia’s closer, Sborz is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in his three starts this season.
Sborz, a second-team All- ACC selection, held NC State in check three weeks ago by giving up two earned runs in six innings. Against Duke, Sborz allowed just one run in seven innings of work.
O’Connor said the junior hurler earned the right to start in Tuesday’s elimination game.
“Based on what we did last weekend, it made sense to start Josh,” O’Connor said. “And we had a ton of confidence in him.”
Virginia’s starter kept Georgia Tech off-balance all afternoon with a low 90’s fastball and a frequently unhittable slider. Sborz was in complete control of the slider, a pitch that he struggled to control last season.
“I tried to make them hit the ball. I’m not trying to strike everyone out with it. Keeping [the slider] down has been the biggest thing,” Sborz noted.
The command was exceptional and Sborz had no fear of throwing the pitch in any count. The benefit of a big early lead didn’t hurt either – UVa led 1-0 after the first inning and 5-0 after the third.
“It helped that we had a big lead,” admits Sborz. “We made it so that I could pitch efficiently. I didn’t have to pitch perfect pitches every time. I tried to get done as fast as possible and let the offense keep going.”
Sborz said in his post-game comments that he was unaware the game was over because of the 10-run rule. Sborz actually didn’t realize the game was over. Talk about being in the moment.
“When their third base coach started to congratulate me I was really confused,” said Sborz. “Then I started looking around and everyone started coming out, and that’s kind of when I knew.”
