Schoch should be ready to go for UVA, Bales a question mark for CWS

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia is on the eve of its fifth appearance in the College World Series, bracing for a meeting with No. 3 national seed Tennessee on Sunday.

What is surprising and perhaps even miraculous is that the Cavaliers got to Omaha without their two best relievers against Dallas Baptist in the best-of-three Super Regionals. Both Blake Bales and Stephen Schoch were not available for Virginia last weekend thanks to one of the deepest pitching staffs in college baseball.

Bales, recently named a second-team All-American by the National College Baseball Writers Association, also made the list as one of the organization’s 10 finalists for national Stopper of the Year. The right-hander had a team-high 25 appearances this season with an 0.71 ERA. He didn’t allow a run over his first 29.1 innings.

Talking with UVA coach Brian O’Connor this week, it is still a mystery if Bales will be available in Omaha. Bales faced only two batters in the Cavaliers win over South Carolina on June 6. He left the game for unknown reasons, calling UVA’s coaches and trainer to the mound and leaving immediately.

Connors said this week that he isn’t sure whether Bales will pitch in Omaha.

“It’s a continued monitoring process that we’ll see,” the coach said. “I have no idea. I’m hopeful that he can help us out but I just don’t know. I can tell you this, it is not a season ending situation at this point in time.”

Meanwhile, Stephen Schoch, who rose to stardom for his enlightening post-game interview in the sub-regional, wasn’t available against Dallas Baptist, although fans weren’t aware of that fact.

“The guy on Tuesday in the Regional final threw 73 pitches,” O’Connor said. “I think the last time he threw 73 pitches, he was probably 17 years old and I think he’s 24 now. He is used to one- and two-inning stints, and so, I need to give him some time.”

Virginia’s skipper said that he had to shut down Schoch, also known as the “Big Donkey,” about a month or so ago because he was worn down, but that he came back “really hot and pitching great baseball.”

O’Connor believes that will be the case now that Schoch has had some time off.

“I’m hopeful that he’ll be ready to roll on Sunday,” O’Connor said. “We’ll see. I think this time will serve him well.”

It’s not like that Virginia will run out of arms. The Cavaliers used Matt Whyatt, Devin Ortiz, Brandon Neeck, Kyle Whitten and Zach Messinger in various situations throughout the regional and Super Regional, not to mention starters Andrew Abbott, Nate Savino, Mike Vasil and Griff McGarry.