When the Virginia baseball team entered it’s exam break in early May, it meant everyone would go nine days without playing in game. Members of the Cavalier bullpen, however, have picked up some extra time off.
In the two weeks since exams ended, UVA has played only six games thanks to a rainout against Richmond. All three weekend starters produced a complete game in that stretch that ate up innings. Connor Jones went the distance on May 13 in a 6-3 win against Georgia Tech, while Alec Bettinger matched the feat the next day in a 9-4 victory against the Yellow Jackets. Most recently, Adam Haseley tossed all nine innings in a 4-1 W against Virginia Tech in the regular season finale.
Jones, Bettinger, and Haseley tallied 15 innings in the other three starts, leaving just 12 innings for the bullpen to handle. That’s the only 12 innings of work since May 3. Tommy Doyle, Tyler Shambora, Kevin Doherty, and David Rosenberger accounted for those 12 innings. Doyle and Doherty logged 7.2 of the total.
Virginia likely will need more pitching from its bullpen during the postseason, something that hadn’t escaped coach Brian O’Connor’s thoughts as his team prepared for ACC Tournament play. The Hoos face Clemson on Thursday at 11 a.m. in Durham in their first contest of the three-game pool play.
“I’d be lying to you if I didn’t tell you it was in the back of my mind a little bit that you need to get them out there,” O’Connor said. “They will get their opportunity down at Durham, that’s for sure. So it is unfortunate with the rainout [last] Tuesday against Richmond, and that would have been an opportunity for a lot of those guys to pitch and stay in their routine.”
That’s what happened in the final game before the exam break back on May 3. UVA used four different pitchers in a 7-3 win against Liberty that night. Bennett Sousa (2.2), Shambora (4.1), Doherty (0.1), and Doyle (1.2) all got time on the mound in Lynchburg.
The nine-day layoff followed and only Doyle has made more than one appearance in the final six games of the regular season. Doyle tossed 2.2 innings in the final game against GT, while Shambora got his only post-exam work with 2.1 innings pitched. Doyle also saw one inning in the second game against Virginia Tech, which came after 2.0 innings for Rosenberger. Doherty’s outing came in the series opener against the Hokies when he put together four innings in relief of Jones.
If the Hoos advance to Sunday’s ACC Tournament title game, of course, the bullpen guys will need to be ready. Virginia is expected to go with the same three starters against Clemson, Wake Forest, and Louisville in pool play at the ACC Tournament so a Sunday game would land in the bullpen’s collective hands. Plus, there’s consideration to possibly prepare for the NCAA Tournament and regional play the following week during this week’s action.
In an effort to combat rusty rhythm during the month, the coaching staff has put the bullpen to the test in intrasquad work during practice. While O’Connor spoke with reporters on a teleconference Monday, he was simultaneously eyeing a scrimmage among his own players.
“They are actually pitching right now in their squad scrimmage I’m standing here watching, so we’ll be scrimmaging for the next hour and a half or so, and all of them are pitching today to get ready for the tournament,” O’Connor said. “So that’s what we do to keep guys sharp that didn’t have an opportunity to pitch on the weekend. I’m sure they will be licking their chops, ready for the opportunity that they have.”
Of course, the main reason the bullpen hasn’t gotten much work lately is because of the weekend starters. The three complete games over the last six starts featured strong outings from all three players.
Jones allowed just two earned runs with seven strikeouts in his win against Georgia Tech. Entering the postseason, he owns an 11-1 record with a 2.05 ERA. He fanned 65 with only 33 walks and earned first-team All-ACC honors. Bettinger’s numbers have improved since moving into the weekend rotation. In his complete game against the Jackets, he allowed four runs on six his and struck out seven. He’s now 2-4 with a 5.08 ERA. He posted 44 strikeouts and 27 walks.
The most recent complete game gem came from Haseley, who made a spot start against Vanderbilt in the National Championship series last season. He’s continued to show off his stuff since flipping to a weekend role in April (read more about UVA’s pitching switches). Against Virginia Tech in the regular season finale, he allowed just one run and two hits. That makes him 8-3 entering the postseason with a paltry 1.73 ERA. He’s recorded 44 strikeouts and just 16 walks.
Somehow, he didn’t earn All-ACC recognition but the Hoos know that Haseley is a critical piece to their success on the mound and in center field when he’s not pitching. He’s got 28 RBI with a bat this season and scored 56 runs too.
“The guy is really, really talented,” O’Connor said. “I think he’s one of the better players in the league as a whole. He’s been huge for us. Certainly the game that he started for us in Game 2 of the Championship Series last year against Vanderbilt was kind of his coming out party nationally of what he can do on the mound, because he didn’t pitch much for us last year. But he’s certainly stepped up big time and really made the difference in our pitching staff, and gives us a chance to win championships because you’ve got a another high-quality starter in that rotation.”
