Virginia Baseball Keeps Rolling With Home Sweep

Virginia
Jake Gelof and the Hoos remain unbeaten at Davenport Field so far in 2022. ~ Photo courtesy of Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics Media Relations

The No. 19 Virginia baseball team matched its best start to a season as it swept the three-game series against Boston College. This was the Cavaliers’ second series win against an ACC foe, with the first resulting in a 2-1 record against Duke. It was their first ACC series at home where they continue to play strong. Dating back to 2021, the Cavaliers have won 17 straight games at Davenport Field and are 14-0 in 2022.

In Game 1, Virginia (19-1, 5-1 ACC) eked out a 7-6 win over Boston College (7-11, 1-5 ACC) in 10 innings. This was the first home game in 2022 where the Cavaliers did not score 10 or more runs. Each team hit four home runs, seven of them being solo shots. Virginia held control for majority of the game, but Boston College remained in reach, thanks to two solo homers by Travis Honeyman. Down 5-3 in the top of the 8th, Parker Landwehr hit a 3-run home run to put the Eagles on top. In the next half inning, Alex Tappen hit a sacrifice fly that brought Devin Ortiz home to tie the game at 6.

In the bottom of the 10th, Kyle Teel walked and got to second base on a Devin Ortiz sacrifice bunt. Henry Leake intentionally walked Jake Gelof to put runners on first and second. Tappen would get hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Chris Newell was up next and walked off the game with a single that flew over the right fielder’s head. Although the game was too close for comfort, UVA coach Brian O’Connor was proud how the players handled themselves late.

“I told the team after the game, this is ACC baseball,” O’Connor said. “For half the team that hasn’t played at this level and played in this program and played in this league, this is what more of [the games] are like [as opposed] to the games we played so far this year. They need to get used to it and it’s about executing and performing the clutch.”

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