Wake claims series finale with 8-1 win over #3 Virginia

Wake Forest (18-6, 4-5 ACC) avoided a series sweep with an 8-1 win over third-ranked Virginia (22-2, 7-2 ACC) on Sunday at David F. Couch Ballpark. The loss snapped UVA’s eight-game win streak, the fourth longest in college baseball going into Sunday’s college baseball action.

The Demon Deacons limited the Cavaliers to a season-low four hits and the lowest run output since the 1-0 opening day win against Bellarmine. Wake Forest starting pitcher Teddy McGraw pitched five innings and struck out six batters to earn his second win of the season.

Chris Newell provided the offense for the Cavaliers with a leadoff homer in the second inning. It marked the ninth-straight game Virginia has hit a home run.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first three Wake Forest hitters reached in the first inning and two runs came in on a two-RBI single by Adam Cecere.
• Virginia responded in its next turn at the plate when Newell led off the top of the second with a solo homer to center field. The homer was his seventh of the season and 16^th of his career.
• Four of the next six Demon Deacon runs came via the long ball. Brandon Tinsman hit a three-run blast in the third inning and Cecere hit a solo shot to the opposite field. Cecere was 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and three RBI.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“Overall, it was a successful series when you win a series on the road. That said, we got away from the things that have made us successful and that’s throwing strikes and a good offensive approach. Too many free passes today. They’re a good team, they’re going to capitalize on it and so we got to focus on getting back to what makes Virginia baseball successful and that’s throwing strikes playing good defense. A credit McGraw, their pitching was really, really good today. They executed really well and exposed us a little bit. They played a good ballgame.”

UP NEXT: Virginia will return to action on Tuesday to begin a five-game homestand when it hosts Richmond in midweek action. First pitch at Disharoon Park is scheduled for 4 p.m.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• UVA pitchers struck out 10 batters in the contest and totaled 32 in three games against the Demon Deacons.
• The series victory was the first in Winston-Salem since the 2013. Wake Forest had won each of the last two meetings at home (2014 & 2018).