Baseball: No. 21 UVA completes perfect non-conference mark with 8-0 shutout of Radford

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

In its non-conference regular season finale, No. 21 Virginia produced an 8-0 shutout win over Radford on Wednesday at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers became first NCAA team since 2015 to go undefeated in regular season non-conference play (Texas A&M).

Seven Cavalier pitchers combined for the four-hit shutout of the Highlanders, the sixth clean sheet of the season for UVA (38-11). Sophomore Jack O’Connor struck out five of the final six batters he faced in three innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win. The seven pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts, the 30th time the Cavaliers have combined for double-digit strikeouts in a game this season.

Jake Gelof led the Cavalier attack with a 3-for-3, three-RBI effort at the plate, which included his 19th home run of the season. He upped his season RBI total to 76, five shy of his own single-season record set last year. His 19 home runs are three off matching the single-season school mark and third most in a season school history.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ethan Anderson capitalized in a big way on a dropped foul ball by Radford (9-40) in the second inning. He worked the count to 2-2 and blasted a 432-foot homer over the right field wall to open up the UVA scoring. The long ball was Anderson’s eighth of the season.
• Gelof kicked off a three-run third inning with a 404-foot shot to left center that plated Ethan O’Donnell who led off the frame with a single to right.
• Anthony Stephan made it 4-0 UVA with a two-out, RBI double down the right field line that allowed Casey Saucke to score from first base.
• Gelof ignited another rally in the fourth with a sharp line drive that hit off the Pitcher and deflected into the outfield and allowed Stephan to score easily from second base. Anderson picked up his second RBI of the afternoon to cap the inning with an RBI groundout.
• Griff O’Ferrall drove in UVA’s seventh run of the afternoon with a two-out single to center and UVA finished the day with its final run in the eighth, taking advantage of Radford’s third error of the contest.

IMPACT PLAYS

• Kyle Teel made a spectacular play to complete the Jack O’Connor’s first strikeout of the afternoon. Teel hustled to a ball that ricocheted up the first base line and made a back-handed flip to first base to complete the putout.
• Ethan O’Donnell recorded his team-leading, fifth outfield assist by starting an 8-3 double play in centerfield in the top of the sixth inning.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Virginia is only the third NCAA team since 2010 to complete the regular season undefeated – Texas A&M (25-0 in 2015) and Arizona State (24-0 in 2010).
• Virginia is the only team in the country this season without a non-conference loss.
• UVA has at least 38 wins through the first 49 games for the ninth time under head coach Brian O’Connor. It marks the first time since 2014 (40 wins) UVA has won 38-plus games through its first 49 played.
• Casey Saucke walked three times in the contest, matching a career-high set nearly one year ago to the day against Longwood (5/11/2022). He has now reached base safely in 13-straight game, longest active streak on the team.
• Connelly Early made his 12th start of the season, facing the first four batters before yielding to O’Connor. The Cavaliers are 11-1 this season in games that Early starts.
• Jay Woolfolk pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and has now pitched in four of UVA’s six shutouts this season.
• The six shutouts are tied for the fifth-most in the country and tied with Duke for the second-most in the ACC.
• Virginia has won 13 of the last 14 meetings against Radford and improve to 21-4-1 all-time against the Highlanders.
• UVA is 12-2 against Commonwealth foes in 2023.

Feels good to be back ⚾️ #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/e8hOZ7yfiK

— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) May 10, 2023

UP NEXT

Virginia returns to action this weekend with its final home ACC series of the season. The Cavaliers will host Louisville in a three-game set beginning Friday at 6 p.m.