Baseball: No. 5 UVA falls at Tech, 12-7, in series finale

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

No. 5 Virginia dropped its first weekend series of the season after a 12-7 loss to Virginia Tech on Sunday at Atlantic Union Bank Park in Blacksburg. The Hokies erased a three different Cavalier leads on the afternoon to secure the series victory.

The two teams engaged in a seesaw battle over the first four innings before Virginia Tech rallied to score seven of the last eight runs of the game. Eight of the nine UVA hitters in Sunday’s lineup collected a hit in the contest, led by Kyle Teel and Ethan Anderson who each had two hits and two RBI in the contest.

The Cavaliers (24-4, 8-4 ACC) came into the weekend with a seven-game win streak and have now lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• For the third-straight day, Teel registered a first-inning RBI. He lined a 2-2 pitch into right field to that scored Griff O’Ferrall who led the game off with a first pitch single up the middle.
• Ethan Anderson made it 3-0 with his 11th double of the year, a rope down the right field late that plated Jake Gelof and Teel. Virginia scored in the first inning in all three games against the Hokies.
• The Hokies (17-10, 4-8) responded with a four-spot in their half of the first. Three runs scored on a triple by Carson DeMartini. Virginia Tech took the lead on an RBI ground out by Brody Donay.
• Ethan O’Donnell tied the game up at four in the top of the second with a double to center field, his third double of the series.
• The Cavaliers took their second lead of the game in the third on a two-out, two-strike RBI single from Casey Saucke that scored Ethan Anderson.
• After Virginia Tech matched with a run in its half of the third, UVA grabbed the lead for the third time in the contest on a two-out RBI double by Kyle Teel that allowed Jake Gelof to score.
• Virginia Tech hit three home runs in its final two turns at the plate, including two of the bat of Jack Hurley. The Hokie centerfielder went 3 for 5 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Sunday’s contest was the 200th all-time meeting between Virginia and Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers hold a 108-92 advantage in a series that was first played in 1900.
• Teel has reached base in all 28 games this season while O’Ferrall has reached safely in 19-straight.
• UVA has scored 40 runs in the first inning this season, the most of any other frame. Sunday marked the ninth time UVA has scored multiple runs in the first inning. Virginia lost its first game of the season in which it scored multiple runs in the first inning, it had won its first eight games when scoring 2-plus runs.
• UVA scored its final four runs of the day with two outs. The Cavaliers left 12 runners on base, one shy of matching a season-high. A total of 10 of the 12 runners were left in scoring position.

UP NEXT

The Cavaliers will finish up a four-game road swing on Tuesday when they travel to Liberty for non-conference action. First pitch in Lynchburg is scheduled for 6 p.m.

SMITHFIELD COMMONWEALTH CLASH

• The rivalry between Virginia Athletics and Virginia Tech Athletics has a long and storied history dating back more than 125 years within the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Cavaliers and Hokies first faced off on the gridiron in Charlottesville in 1895. First coined the Commonwealth Clash during the 2014-2015 season, the rivalry has expanded and intensified across the 22 sports the two institutions face off in head-to-head competition.
• The winner of the three-game series will earn one point in the Clash
• This year’s clash is currently tied, 7-7.