Baseball: Virginia clinches series in dominant fashion

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia (6-0) remained unblemished through its first six games thanks to a 17-2 victory over Cornell (0-2) on Saturday at Disharoon Park. The Cavaliers clinched the weekend non-conference series and will go for the sweep on Sunday (Feb. 27) at 1 p.m.

Virginia scored the first 12 runs of the game and busted the game wide open with a seven-run, second inning. The Cavaliers tacked on five more runs in the sixth and have scored 41 runs in two games against the Big Red, the second-most in consecutive games in the Brian O’Connor era (2004-present).

Graduate student Brian Gursky collected his second win of the season after he pitched 5.2 innings, allowed no earned runs and struck out a career-high nine batters. He completed the rare “immaculate inning” in the second, striking out all three batters by using nine pitches. He struck out the side again in the fourth.

Half of Virginia’s six hits came off the combined efforts of Ethan Anderson and Max Cotier who each collected three base knocks. Anderson drove in three runs and went 3-fo-5 at the plate. Cotier was 3-for-5 and scored three runs.

Cavalier designated hitter Devin Ortiz drove in a career-high five runs and was 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Graduate student Alex Tappen doubled home the first of the seven in the second inning. Starting his first career game in centerfield, Tappen drove in three runs in a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.

Virginia turned to freshman Jay Woolfolk on the mound in the fifth inning and the righthander allowed one run over 2.1 innings of relief. Woolfolk fanned four batters and now has seven in 4.1 innings this season.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“I think we’re playing some really good baseball but we’ve got to keep getting better. (Brian) Gursky was really great in the start and again, I think we were pretty opportunistic (at the plate), taking advantage of some opportunities. Devin (Ortiz) and (Alex) Tap(pen) led the way, both had great days for us. I’m proud of our guys, I think today we had four true freshmen in the starting lineup and we’re getting some guys some great experience, they’re performing and we’re winning. Our focus that I’m telling the team is, whatever game is next, that’s the most important game of the season. We’re not looking far ahead. We’re just taking them one at a time and trying to get better.”

NOTES

• Only the 44 combined runs against Coppin State (27) and Sienna (17) in 2008 are more in back-to-back games in the Brian O’Connor era.
• Virginia recorded four sacrifice flies in the contest, the most in a single-game since statistic has been tracked (2000-present).
• Virginia is 6-0 to start the season for the sixth time under O’Connor (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2021).
• UVA has scored five or more runs in an inning five times this season, including the seven-run second and the five-run sixth in Saturday’s contest.
• The Cavaliers have won 14-straight games against Cornell and improve to 29-11-1 all-time against the Big Red.
• Two-way player Matthew Buchananmade his collegiate debut at the plate in Friday’s opener. He worked a perfect ninth inning on the mound in Saturday’s contest and struck out two batters.
• Kyle Teel went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, extending his reached base streak to 32-straight games.
• Cotier and freshman Casey Sauckehave hit safely in each of the last five games.