The last time the College World Series featured a walk-off win came in 2011 when Virginia stood stunned on the other side of a 3-2 loss to South Carolina in the 13th inning. On Sunday night in Omaha, the Cavaliers erased those demons with a thrilling 2-1 walk-off win against Mississippi.

With the game tied at 1-1, UVa came through in the bottom of the ninth inning. Catcher Nate Irving drew a lead-off walk and gave way to pinch runner Thomas Woodruff. Branden Cogswell moved Woodruff to second base with a sacrifice bunt before Daniel Pinero struck out for the inning’s second out.

That brought Mike Papi to the plate and set up the walk-off heroics. On a 3-2 count, Papi ripped a change-up into the right centerfield alley. Woodruff easily scored and the Hoos erupted in celebration.

“I had a couple of other opportunities earlier in the game to draw some guys in, I wasn’t able to. Going up there in the bottom of the ninth I was looking for a pitch in the middle of the plate something I could cut in half and line to the outfield somewhere,” Papi said before adding more later. “I know when I got it, I got it probably as well as I could have. But I was just hoping and praying it was going to fall somewhere out there in this cavernous park.”

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