Around the Horn: Rain, Rain, Go Away

By: Greg Waters |

Matt Street went 3 for 3 in the win over Virginia Tech.

Last week was almost a complete washout for the Cavaliers. Dismal, rainy weather forced the cancellation of Virginia’s scheduled game with the Richmond Spiders last Wednesday. Then a subpar drainage system at English Field on the campus of Virginia Tech prevented the Cavaliers and Hokies from playing all but one of a three-game weekend ACC series.

Still, UVa won its lone game Sunday to extend its winning streak to 10 games. The Wahoos are now 18-6 overall and 4-3 in the ACC.

Virginia 8, Virginia Tech 5

Sunday, March 27, at Radford University

Due to unplayable conditions at English Field in Blacksburg, the game was moved to Radford University, where the Cavs kept up their hot streak. The trio of Tim Henry (.291 BA), Matt Street (.350) and Sean Doolittle (.322) combined for seven hits, six RBI and four runs.

Knowing he would not need his three weekend starters, UVa coach Brian O’Connor used both Friday starter Mike Ballard (5-1, 2.68 ERA) and Sunday starter Jeff Kamrath to contain the Virginia Tech attack. Ballard went three innings and allowed three runs on six hits. Kamrath (5-2, 2.95 ERA) earned the win by yielding just two hits and two unearned runs in five innings. Casey Lambert (1-0, 1.10 ERA) pitched a scoreless ninth to record his sixth save of the year.

ACC Standings

Georgia Tech 11-1 (21-4 overall)

Florida State 5-1 (27-5)

Clemson 5-1 (12-9)

North Carolina 5-2 (20-5)

Miami 8-4 (22-7)

Virginia 4-3 (18-6)

N.C. State 3-6 (18-8)

Wake Forest 4-8 (10-15)

Maryland 3-9 (11-14)

Virginia Tech 1-7 (7-9)

Duke 1-8 (9-19)

Notes

  • Thou shalt not steal – Opponents probably shouldn’t try to swipe a base on Virginia senior catcher Scott Headd. On the season, opponents have attempted 18 stolen bases and have been nailed 11 times. No ACC team has allowed fewer stolen bases (7) than Virginia, while only one time has thrown out more opposing base stealers (13).
  • Getting defensive – As it did a season ago, the Virginia defense is making life difficult on opposing hitters. The Cavs lead the ACC with 31 double plays and have committed the second-fewest errors with 24, one more than Clemson. On a percentage basis, Virginia is averaging just one error per game while the Tigers are averaging 1.09. Virginia leads the league with a .974 fielding percentage.
  • Nothing extra – Virginia is second in the ACC with a 2.90 staff ERA, largely because Cavalier pitchers are limiting opponents when it comes to extra-base hits. North Carolina has allowed the fewest combination of home runs, doubles and triples, but the Cavaliers are a close second, tied with Florida State at 39.

    By the Numbers

    (ACC Rank in Parentheses)

    Earned Run Average 2.90 (2nd)

    Opponent Batting Average .230 (2nd)

    Fielding Percentage .974 (1st)

    Batting Average .308 (5th)

    On-Base Percentage .381 (6th)

    Slugging Percentage .421 (7th)

    Team Leaders

    (Pitching leaders require a minimum of 20 innings of work and hitters require at least 20 plate appearances)

    Earned Run Average – Mike Ballard 2.68

    Opponent Batting Average – Jeff Kamrath .213

    Batting Average – Ryan Zimmerman .389

    On-Base Percentage – Ryan Zimmerman .450

    Slugging Percentage – Ryan Zimmerman .600

    Fielding Percentage – Matt Street 1.000

    On Deck

    Virginia will be looking to extend its 10-game winning streak in four upcoming opportunities this week.

    The Cavaliers step out of conference Wednesday to face the VMI Keydets in Charlottesville and then travel to Chapel Hill for a key ACC road series against North Carolina.

    The ‘Hoos got some confidence on the road with the win over Virginia Tech, but they will get a stern test from the 11th-ranked Tar Heels this weekend.

    VMI Keydets (13-13, 3-3 Big South)

    Wednesday, March 30, 7:00 PM

    Davenport Field

    The Keydets dropped two of three games over the weekend against #21 Coastal Carolina, its Big South foe. VMI split a doubleheader on Saturday, 3-2 and 1-3, after losing the Friday opener 4-3.

    Offensively, VMI is led by Kel Sweppenhiser, who is blistering opposing pitching with a .414 batting average and leads the team in hits (41), home runs (7), on-base percentage (.504), slugging percentage (.717) and RBI (26). Shane Geisslinger is another offensive threat at .356 and nine RBI. As a team, VMI is batting .303 with a .388 on-base percentage.

    The VMI hurlers have a 4.93 ERA and opponents are batting .285 against them.

    North Carolina Tar Heels (20-5, 5-2 ACC)

    Friday, April 1, 7:00 PM

    Saturday, April 2, 1:00 PM

    Sunday, April 3, 1:30 PM

    Cary C. Boshamer Stadium, Chapel Hill, N.C.

    Dimensions: Foul lines (335 feet), Right field power alley (362), Left field power alley (370), Center field (400), Playing surface (natural grass), Seating capacity (3,000)

    Fresh off a three-game sweep of Wake Forest, 11th-ranked North Carolina is currently fourth in the ACC standings but may have the best pitching staff in the conference.

    Expect to see lefthander Andrew Miller on the hill Friday and righties Daniel Bard and Robert Woodard on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Miller (6-0) has been dominant this season and leads the conference with a 0.60 ERA. He is holding opponents to a .196 batting average with 57 strikeouts and 22 walks.

    Bard (4-2) has a 1.73 ERA in six starts (36.1 innings pitched) and opponents are batting a team-low .183 against him. In four starts this season, Woodward (1-0, 2.76 ERA) has allowed just nine earned runs in 29.1 innings. North Carolina has a staff ERA of 1.69.

    At the plate, the Tar Heels are led by junior Mike Daniel, who ranks seventh in the ACC with a .417 average. He has two homers and is second on the team with 16 RBI. Sophomore Matt Ellington leads the Tar Heels in RBI (25) and is tied for second in home runs with four. In just 13 starts, freshman Seth Williams is UNC’s leading home run hitter (5) and has the team’s second-highest slugging percentage at .615. The Heels are hitting .300 as a unit and average 6.5 runs per game.