Ninth-ranked UVA survives 22-16 shootout to even series with Eagles

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

In a game that saw 38 combined runs on 35 hits, the No. 9 Virginia baseball team outlasted Boston College, 22-16, on Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.

Paced by a career day from Henry Godbout, the Cavaliers (9-4, 1-1 ACC) plated a season-best 22 runs on a season-high 20 hits to even the three-game ACC series.

Godbout went 4 for 5 with four runs driven in while scoring five times himself on the afternoon. Not to be outdone, Chris Arroyo had his best day in a UVA uniform by going 5 for 5 with six RBIs and four runs scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Boston College (5-6, 1-1) opened the high-flying affair by plating three runs in the top of the first thanks in part to a pair of Cavalier errors in the frame.

UVA answered in the bottom half of the inning when Godbout and Arroyo reached base with back-to-back one-out singles. Godbout was the first Cavalier run of the game when Henry Ford doubled him home. Arroyo came across a few pitches later on Trey Wells’ sacrifice fly to cut the Eagles advantage to one after one inning played.

Virginia tied the game at three in the third on a Ford RBI single that brought around Godbout who doubled to left field to open the frame.

The visiting Eagles regained the lead with a three-run fourth on the heels of two more Virginia errors in the inning.

In the home half of the fourth, Virginia answered with five more runs, highlighted by a bases-clearing triple from Godbout and Arroyo’s first home run of the day that put the Cavaliers up 8-6.

After quiet fifth and sixth innings, the fireworks returned in the seventh when Boston College regained the lead with a three-run top of the inning.

The Eagle lead didn’t last for long as the Cavaliers plated nine runs following the seventh inning stretch. UVA’s nine runs came on eight hits, including three-straight RBI doubles from Aidan Teel, James Nunnallee and Harrison Didawick.

Boston College rallied to score four runs in the top of the eighth to draw within four at 17-13.

Powered by the duo of Eric Becker and Arroyo, Virginia scored five in the eighth to run the total to 22 on the day. Becker started the scoring in the frame with an RBI double before Arroyo clobbered his second no-doubt home run of the afternoon.

In the top of the ninth, the Eagles plated three more runs before a Matthew Buchanan strikeout secured the 22-16 Virginia victory.

ADDITIONAL NOTES 

• With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 4-0 after a loss this season.
• Virginia’s nine-run eighth inning is the most runs scored by the Cavaliers at home against an ACC opponent since scoring 10 on Georgia Tech in 2022.
• The 22 runs are the Most runs for Virginia in an ACC game since 2010 – 27 vs. Maryland (4/23/10).
• Virginia is the 29th team in DI college baseball to score 22 or more runs in game this season.
• Most runs (22) and the most combined runs (38) in 38 all-time meetings vs. BC
• UVA’s 22 runs and 20 hits are the most for the Cavaliers this season.
• The trio of Godbout, Arroyo and Ford combined to go 12 for 15 with 12 RBI and 12 runs scored in Saturday’s slugfest.
• Godbout scored five times to tie the single-game program record.
• Along with his runs scored, Godbout tied career highs in at-bats (5), hits (4) and RBI (4).
• Godbout extended this on-base streak to 33 games with a single in the first inning. 
• Aidan Teel joined Godbout as the only two Cavaliers to each base safety in all 13 games this season with his RBI double in the seventh.
• Ford extended his team-high hitting streak to 11 games.
• The five Cavalier errors on Saturday are the most by the squad since also committing five in a victory over Fordham in 2009.

UP NEXT 

Virginia will look to take the series on Sunday in the weekend finale. Righthander Joe Colucci will get the start on the mound for the Cavaliers. First pitch is set for noon on ACCNX and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).