No. 5 Virginia blasts five homers in series-clinching victory

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia (18-1, 4-1 ACC) clinched its second-consecutive ACC series with an 18-1 win over Boston College (7-10, 1-4 ACC) at Disharoon Park on Saturday. The Cavaliers hit five home runs, including two grand slams, to extend their home win streak to 16 games.

Virginia’s five home runs in the contest were the most since hitting five against George Mason on April 22, 2002. The Cavaliers have hit nine home runs in the first two games of the series and hit three or more long balls in each of the last four games. Virginia has scored 10 or more runs in 13 of its 19 games this season.

Kyle Teel and Chris Newell each hit grand slams in the contest, the first time UVA has hit two grand slams in a game since 2013. For Teel it was his third grand slam of the season and second in the last four days. Sophomore Jake Gelof produced his fourth, multi-home run game of the season the most since  Jon Benick’s had four in 2001. Gelof has 11 home runs this season to lead all NCAA hitters.

On the mound Brian Gursky turned in his first quality start of the season and picked up his fifth win in five starts. The lefthander struck out six batters in six innings pitched while walking two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Virginia scored eight runs in the second inning, matching their highest single-inning output of the season to break the game wide open. The Cavaliers sent 13 batters to the plate, collected just three hits and took advantage of two Boston College fielding miscues. Teelignited the rally with UVA’s first grand slam of the afternoon. This season, Teel is 4-for-4 with three home runs, a triple and 15 RBI with the bases loaded. He finished Saturday’s contest 4-for-6 with a career-high four run scored and four RBI.
• Gelof hit the first of his two homers in the second inning, a batter after Teel’s grand slam. He capped a three-run rally in the fifth with his second of the day.
• Alex Tappen cracked a three-run homer in the seventh inning to make in 14-1. The homer was his fourth of the year and he has now reached base safely in all 19 games this season.
• Newell, last night’s walk-off hero, capped UVA’s scoring with his third career grand slam in the eighth. Newell has six homers on the season.
• Graduate transfer Dylan Bowers pitched two scoreless innings and struck out five of the nine battes he faced. Paul Kosanovich finished off the game with a perfect ninth inning.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“Brian Gursky was the best he’s been yet for us. Today was a tough day to pitch. The win was gailing out like it was yesterday, possibly worse than it was yesterday. He (Gursky) just did a great of pitching both sides of the plate, pitching vertical and using his changeup and his slider to the lefties. He really was just masterful today and we needed that. Certainly, we had some guys that swung the bats really aggressively. Their starter (Sean Hard) was one of the better arms we’ve seen so far this year and he’s destined for some really great things but our guys came out ready and swung the bat with some authority. It was a collective effort offensively and we played really good defense as well.”

UP NEXT: First pitch for series finale on Sunday (March 19) is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Cavaliers will have lefthander Brandon Neeck (2-0) on the mound and he will be opposed by righthander Mason Pelio. Sunday is Youth Day at the ballpark, kids can run the bases after the game and get postgame autographs from the UVA student-athletes. The first of five special edition posters will be handed out at the game.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• The five home runs were the most in a single game since hitting five at George Mason on April 22, 2002. The school record for home runs in a game is six at Virginia Tech in 2001.
• The 17-run margin of victory was Virginia’s second largest of the season (19-1 vs. Cornell on Feb. 27). • The win matches the largest for UVA against Boston College (2011 – 17-0) and the 18 runs were the most either Boston College or UVA has scored in 32 games against one another.
• Teel has hit four career grand slams, the most by any UVA player since 2000. Newell has hit three, one in each of the last three seasons.
• Virginia has launched 34 home runs at Disharoon Park this season, four shy of the facility record set in 2017 (38 in 34 games).
• The eight-run second inning marked the 13th time this season UVA has scored five or more runs in a single inning.