Arroyo’s Grand Slam leads UVA over VMI

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Brian O’Connor says his designated hitter, Chris Arroyo, has a flare for the big moment, and that was on display in Virginia’s home opener Monday night when the former Florida Gator blasted a bases-loaded Grand Slam to spark the Cavaliers to a 6-4 win over previously undefeated VMI.

Before the largest home-opener crowd (3,934) in UVA program history, Arroyo made the most of the moment. He was actually warming up in the bullpen — Arroyo also pitches — when he got the call that he would soon be up in the batting order in the bottom of the second. VMI had taken a 2-0 lead in top of the frame, so by the time Arroyo sprinted to the dugout, the Cavaliers had loaded the bases.

Third baseman Luke Hanson had singled up the middle, right-fielder James Nunnallee and second baseman Henry Godbout both walked, setting the table for Arroyo. The DH ripped a pitch to right, barely clearing the fence for the grand salami.

It was the first grand slam by a Cavalier since Henry Ford cleared the bases against North Carolina on April 4, 2024. While O’Connor was delighted with the result, it didn’t come as a surprise to him at all.

“That’s the fourth, might be the fifth Grand Slam I’ve seen [Arroyo] hit in this ballpark,” O’Connor said. “Last fall he hit three or four Grand Slams, so he’s got a flare for the big moment, and certainly that showed up today.”

Arroyo, a D1 Baseball Preseason All-American selection, said it was an awesome feeling putting his team out front, but added that he had a little help.

“Yeah, I don’t know why there was the juju on it, but sometimes when the bases are loaded, kind of my juju was there every time and I don’t know, for some reason, I always went yard,” Arroyo said. “It was very close. I hit it and put full barrel on it, and I was like, ‘Oh, it has a chance,’ and it kept going and going.”

VMI, 7-1, kept fighting, though. The Keydets, who lead the nation in scoring and in stolen bases, picked up a run in the third, making it 4-3 before the 10th-ranked Cavaliers (4-3 on the season) added two runs in the fifth.

Catcher Trey Wells singled to center and advanced when left fielder Harrison Didawick reached on a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Hanson and both scored on a throwing error to home plate that got by the Keydets’ catcher.

VMI added a run in the eighth when first baseman Grayson Fitzwater tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly, but it wasn’t enough. However, Didawick came up with the defensive gem of the night with one out in that inning and a runner on base.

The Keydets’ Seth Buchanan, the brother of UVA’s Walker Buchanan, slapped a ball to deep left field that appeared to be headed over the fence, which would have knotted the game at 6-all. Didawick, a 6-foot-4 junior from Chesapeake, didn’t give up on the play, leaping to the top of the fence and snagging what should have been a 2-run home run.

“You guys that have been around here for a couple of years, you’ve seen [Didawick] make those catches before,” O’Connor said. “That’s about the fourth or fifth time I’ve seen him make that catch where he scales the wall. Huge play in the game.”

Arroyo led UVA at the plate, going 3 for 5 with 4 RBI, while Ford and Wells both went 2 for 4.

Arroyo wasn’t as effective on the mound after the bases-clearing home run. He came in to relieve Wes Arrington (Virginia used seven pitchers in the game) and lasted only two-thirds of an inning before giving way to Kevin Jaxel, who got the win. Arroyo quickly loaded the bases before he got the hook.

“Chris Arroyo is going to pitch great for us,” O’Connor predicted after the game. “He just couldn’t find his command today.”

Arroyo didn’t make any excuses, just pointed out he didn’t have his best stuff this time out. He has a way of compartmentalizing his pitching aside from his hitting, so wasn’t worried about the outing.

Evan Blanco, who is coming off an injury and didn’t pitch in the preseason, got the start and was on a strict pitch count. He worked the first inning and gave up three hits and one run, but was rested after 25 pitches, obviously the plan to bring the left-hander along gradually.

“That’s what we were looking for, about 25 to 30 pitches,” the UVA skipper said. “He’s fine, he’s healthy. Now we just need to build up that pitch count. He’s a tough kid, he’ll get better and he’ll make a difference for us when he’s at 100 percent.”

O’Connor praised the work of reliever Jaxel, who pitched 3.1 innings from late in the third through the sixth and gave up only one hit and no runs, striking out four.

“I thought Jaxel was outstanding in the middle of the game,” O’Connor said. “He held the game for us and gave us a little bit of length in the middle of the game.”

Jaxel took over after Arroyo had left the bases loaded with two outs.

“Coach told me the guys out there don’t matter right now, let’s go get the hitter,” said Jaxel.

The pitcher didn’t even have to do that, because Virginia trapped a VMI baserunner in a rundown between first and second, when Ford noticed the Keydet runner on third breaking for home. Ford gunned him down at the plate on a throw to Wells to squelch the threat.

“Good defense behind me, so it’s easy to pitch when you’ve got those guys out there,” Jaxel said.

Jaxel and the rest of UVA’s pitching staff were well prepared for VMI’s aggressive style with runners on base. The Keydets led the nation in stolen bases coming into the contest with 67 in seven games (9.57 per game), but managed to steal only one base against the Cavaliers, while having two players picked off at first base and another caught stealing.

Virginia continues its longest homestand of the season on Friday when Dartmouth comes to town for a three-game series. Friday’s first pitch is set for 3 p.m.