With Josh Darby, Tom Hagan and Mike Mitchell all returning from injury and needing extra work, the always-thinking Brian O’Connor secured a mid-week doubleheader to get his guys some additional reps. That paid off with a few more at-bats and a few more wins, but didn’t prevent another disappointing weekend for the Cavaliers.
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Coach Brian O’Connor: “It’s just those little things that just aren’t going our way.” |
Virginia ripped off three wins over two overmatched MEAC opponents but struggled again in ACC play, losing two of three to the Clemson Tigers last weekend. UVa improved its overall record to 25-13 but its conference mark fell to 6-10.
The ‘Hoos did salvage a win in the Sunday finale of the series, putting an end to their four-game ACC losing streak. But according to O’Connor, as was the case against N.C. State and North Carolina in recent weekends, Virginia had its chances to come away with a better outcome.
“The difference between winning and losing college baseball games at this level is so small for us right now,” O’Connor said. “Last year those hits in those key situations found holes or we made those key plays or clutch pitches, and in those tight ball games they’re just not going our way right now. We’re right there.”
O’Connor noted that one more out could have made the difference in Friday’s 13-4 loss.
“Even in the Friday game we were up 4-1 going into the sixth inning. [Matt] Avery gets two out with nobody on and then the floodgates open,” he said. “If we get that third out, Sean Doolittle is in the game for the seventh and eighth inning and then we’re going to Casey Lambert. It’s just those little things that just aren’t going our way.”
After scoring just five runs in the previous 42 innings of ACC play, O’Connor was pleased with how his team hit Tiger pitching. The Cavs scored 15 runs in three games.
“I thought we swung the bats pretty well this weekend,” he said. “You’re going to face great pitching in this league. Carolina’s got the lowest ERA in the country. Clemson’s got one of the lowest ERAs in the league and they’ve got high-quality pitching. But every weekend is going to be like that. We swung the bats well enough to win two out of the three games.”
Game Recaps
Virginia 13, Norfolk State 1
Tuesday, April 12
At Davenport Field
Robert Poutier further decreased his already microscopic ERA with a six inning, two-hit shutout performance. In 30 innings pitched this season, the freshman has allowed just one earned run and yielded only 16 hits in 101 at-bats. Ryan Ouellette, Adam Laird and Jordan Ellis each tossed an inning of relief.
Offensively, Anthony Martinez (.304 BA) went deep for his first home run of the season and 12 Virginia batters reached base, with 10 scoring at least one run.
Virginia 15, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore 1
Wednesday, April 13
At Davenport Field
Game One of doubleheader
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Ryan Zimmerman is batting .430 with 45 RBI. |
The dormant Virginia bats were alive and well again in a rout that was called after just 6½ innings of play.
Ryan Zimmerman (.430 BA, 45 RBI) and Sean Doolittle (.311, 31 RBI) went deep as the duo combined to go 4 for 5 with three runs scored and nine RBI. In his second start since being injured six weeks ago, Tom Hagan added a 3-for-4 effort, scoring three times and knocking in a run.
Senior righthander Josh Myers (1-0, 1.29 ERA) earned the win in his first start of the season, allowing just three hits over five scoreless innings. Scott Morgenthaler held UMES in check for an inning and sophomore Erick Chandler closed out the shortened game in the seventh, yielding the Hawks’ only run.
Virginia 6, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore 0
Wednesday, April 13
At Davenport Field
Game Two of doubleheader
Zimmerman, Doolittle and Brandon Guyer (.258, 18 RBI) each posted two hits and freshman Pat McAnaney earned his fourth win. Freshman Jordan Ellis , sophomore Alex Smith and junior Allie Swanson each pitched an inning of scoreless relief as the ‘Hoos posted their ninth shutout of the year, adding to their single-season school record.
During the three-game mid-week set, Zimmerman, Doolittle and Guyer combined for 17 hits in 30 at-bats and totalled 12 runs scored, 15 RBI, seven doubles, two triples and two homers.
Clemson 13, Virginia 4
Friday, April 15
At Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, S.C.
The ‘Hoos desperately needed a successful series against the Tigers, but they started off in bad form. The league’s leading defensive unit committed four errors and Virginia’s woes at the plate in ACC play continued as the Cavs left five runners stranded in scoring position.
Virginia pitching held the Tiger bats at bay for five innings but it all fell apart in the sixth as starter Matt Avery gave up five runs (all with two outs) to turn a 4-1 Wahoo lead into a 6-4 deficit. Things got worse in the seventh as Morgenthaler and Smith imploded, allowing eight runs, in part due to poor pitching and in part due to Virginia’s four miscues.
Doolittle, Zimmerman and Matt Street provided the offense as the trio posted six of Virginia’s nine hits, unfortunately none of the extra-base variety.
Clemson 3, Virginia 2
Saturday, April 16
At Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, S.C.
The Cavaliers finally got some clutch hitting but could not get the clutch pitching they needed from closer Casey Lambert (1-2, 2.19 ERA). Mike Ballard held the Tigers scoreless for seven innings but in the eighth gave way to Doolittle with runners at first and second. Doolittle yielded one run but pitched out of a bases-loaded jam.
Virginia scored twice in the top of the ninth to take the lead on a Doolittle RBI double and a Josh Darby sacrifice fly. O’Connor then called on Lambert to shut the door, but the sophomore allowed five Clemson batters to reach base (four singles, one intentional walk) and two scored as the Tigers rallied for the win.
Virginia 9, Clemson 2
Sunday, April 17
At Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson, S.C.
Jeff Kamrath went six strong innings on the mound, while Zimmerman and second baseman Kyle Werman (.281, 22 runs scored) combined for six of UVa’s 13 hits.
Kamrath allowed just five hits and two runs. Doolittle (two innings) and Lambert (one inning) combined for three shutout frames in relief.
The Cavaliers took the lead in the second inning on a Doolittle solo blast to right field, his team-leading eighth round tripper of the season. Playing in place of the injured Scott Headd, junior catcher Matt Bernstine recorded the first RBI of his career in the sixth inning to widen the Virginia lead to 5-0.
ACC Standings
Georgia Tech 16-2 (29-7 overall)
Miami 13-4-1 (29-9-1)
Clemson 11-4 (21-14)
North Carolina 11-4 -1 (28-8-1)
Florida State 9-5 (33-11)
N.C. State 9-9 (27-11)
Wake Forest 9-12 (16-21)
Virginia 6-10 (25-13)
Maryland 5-16 (16-22)
Duke 3-15 (11-27)
Virginia Tech 2-12 (13-16)
News and Notes
By the Numbers
(ACC Team Rank in Parentheses)
Earned Run Average 2.92 (2nd)
Opponent Batting Average .229 (2nd)
Fielding Percentage .973 (2nd)
Batting Average .294 (7th)
On-Base Percentage .376 (7th)
Slugging Percentage .413 (7th)
Team Leaders
(Pitching leaders require a minimum of 35 innings of work, hitters require at least 50 plate appearances and fielding percentage requires at least 50 chances)
Earned Run Average – Jeff Kamrath 2.45
Opponent Batting Average – Jeff Kamrath .196
Batting Average – Ryan Zimmerman .430
On-Base Percentage – Ryan Zimmerman .489
Slugging Percentage – Ryan Zimmerman .6362
Fielding Percentage – Sean Doolittle .992
On Deck
Longwood Lancers (13-23, 4-18 Away)
Wednesday, April 20, 7:00 PM
Davenport Field
Probable Pitching Matchup: LHP Clay Horn (1-6, 4.83) or RHP Isaac Weiderman (1-4, 6.98) vs. LHP Pat McAnaney (4-0, 1.29)
The ‘Hoos and Lancers tangled earlier in the season as Poutier recorded his first victory, striking out eight in a complete-game 8-0 shutout.
Offensively, Longwood is led by Chris Balus, who is batting .361, and Charlie Yarbrough (8 HRs, 27 RBI, .544 slugging percentage). As a team, Longwood is batting .298 with a .357 on-base percentage.
Opponents are batting a modest .296 versus the Lancers and the team has a staff ERA of 5.46.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (29-7, 16-2 ACC, 9-1 away)
Friday, April 23, 7:00 PM
Saturday, April 24, 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 25, 1:00 PM
Davenport Field
Probable Pitching Matchups:
Friday: LHP Lee Hyde (5-1, 3.98) vs. RHP Matt Avery (4-3, 4.09)
Saturday: RHP Jason Neighborgall (5-2, 5.55) vs. LHP Mike Ballard (5-3, 3.64)
Sunday: RHP Blake Wood (7-0, 3.54) vs. RHP Jeff Kamratrh (6-3, 2.45)
The Yellow Jackets will bring the nation’s #4 team to Charlottesville and will be looking to avenge last season’s embarrassing sweep by the ‘Hoos in Atlanta. The Jackets are coming off a three-game road series sweep of #9 Florida State.
The Yellow Jackets are good folks. Especially on offense. “They’re hitting .344 and they’re beating up on everybody,” O’Connor said.
Tech leads the ACC in virtually every offensive category, including batting average, home runs (48), slugging percentage (.534), on-base percentage (.447) and runs scored (386).
Wes Hodges is Tech’s top hitter and is fifth in the ACC with a .425 batting average. He also has a .692 slugging percentage. Matt Wieters leads the team and is second in the ACC with a .527 on-base percentage. The big power guy for the Jackets is Jeremy Slayden, who leads the team with 10 home runs and is second with 46 RBI.
On the bump, Tech has a staff ERA of 4.84 and opponents are batting .277.
If Virginia is to make a run at an NCAA bid, it must begin with a good showing this weekend. Winning two of three in this series could really help UVa’s chances with the committee. But O’Connor knows that will be a difficult task against the Yellow Jackets, and he’s glad to be playing in the vast confines of Davenport Stadium.
I’m excited about playing Tech, our coaching staff is excited and our players will be excited about it,” he said. “You get a chance to get one of the top-ranked teams in the country in our own ball park and you have chance to make a statement.”
Virginia’s decent performance at the plate against Clemson will need to carry over to this weekend.
“We’re going to have to play great, great baseball to have chance to win,” O’Connor said. “But I think with the way our guys played on Sunday, I think they are ready for the challenge and it will be a great opportunity for our team.”
