Baseball Features 
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Baseball Features
The Virginia baseball team took care of business in winning two mid-week games against Marist on Tuesday and Wednesday. Now the Hoos go on the road for their first away ACC series against perennial powerhouse Florida State. This weekend's series features the first-ever ESPN televised ACC Monday night baseball game at 8 p.m., so the first two games will be played on Saturday night at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. rather than the normal Friday-Sunday weekend setup.
Late-game comebacks were on display at Davenport Field in every exciting game against Virginia Tech this past weekend in the first ACC baseball series for both teams. The Cavaliers won the "comebacks" contest 2-1 and the won the series as a result. Now Virginia (9-5-1) welcomes Marist College from Poughkeepsie, NY, to town for two mid-week games on Tuesday and Wednesday, both games starting at 5 p.m.
For the first half of Tuesday's game against JMU, the pattern looked all too familiar to the Virginia baseball team this year. Get an early lead and then give it up in the middle innings due to a combination of self-inflicted woes and timely hitting by the other team. But, then the Cavalier offense exploded for 11 unanswered runs over four innings to rout James Madison 14-6.
Now the Hoos begin ACC conference play with three games this weekend against Coastal Division foe Virginia Tech at Davenport Field.
The one constant to date for the 2012 Virginia baseball team has been its inconsistency. Now the Cavaliers head to Harrisonburg for a return matchup with James Madison on Tuesday at 4 p.m. No one was satisfied in the first game between these two in-state rivals in Conway, SC, because it ended in a rare 4-4 tie after being called in the eighth inning due to heavy rain and poor playing conditions.
The Virginia baseball team's current homestand concludes with four more games this weekend, two each against Wright State and Seton Hall. The Cavaliers look to rebound from a lackluster effort in a forgettable 8-0 loss to Liberty this past Tuesday. Here are brief scouting reports on Wright State and Seton Hall.
The Virginia baseball team swept the previously undefeated Monmouth Hawks in a three-game series over this past weekend and the Hoos jumpstarted their offense in a big way by scoring a total of 38 runs on 44 hits in the three wins. The Cavaliers are now 5-1-1 with a four-game win streak. They welcome the Liberty Flames to Davenport Field on Tuesday starting at 3 p.m. At 8-1, Liberty is off to a fast start of its own and will bring a high-powered offense to town for this in-state baseball matchup.
The home portion of the 2012 baseball season got off to a thrilling start Wednesday afternoon with an emotionally draining come-from-behind 6-5 win over William & Mary in 11 innings. Now, the Cardiac Cavs welcome the Monmouth Hawks of the Northeast Conference to Davenport Field for the first time in history for a three-game set this weekend. The Hawks are undefeated at 3-0 in 2012 and scored a total of 31 runs in their first three games. Friday's game begins at 3 p.m. while both the games on Saturday and Sunday start at 1 p.m.
The Virginia baseball team opened its 2012 season by splitting three games over the weekend in Conway, SC, including a rare tie. Now, the Cavaliers return home to the friendly confines of Davenport Field for a nine-game home stand that begins with William & Mary. That contest was moved to Wednesday (today) at 3 p.m. due to the snowfall this past Sunday in Charlottesville. Here is a brief scouting report.
Virginia opens its 2012 baseball season this weekend with three games in the round-robin Caravelle Resort Tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC. The Cavaliers last appeared in this annual opening weekend tournament, hosted by Coastal Carolina, in both 2006 and 2007. James Madison and Boston College round out the tournament field this year. Three of the four teams involved in this weekend's games went to the NCAA Tournament last year, which will mean some exciting early season matchups that could answer a few questions about what the Wahoo faithful can expect from the baseball team in 2012.
The Virginia baseball team qualified for the College World Series for the second time in three seasons. The 2011 trip to the CWS featured four games and two wins over California. Ian Rogol took his camera to Omaha for TheSabre.com and captured photos of Danny Hultzen, Tyler Wilson, Steven Proscia, and more. Check out some highlighted images of the Hoos in this free photo gallery.
Just 12 days ago, I wrote that there is a fine line between dejection and delirium. That Super Regional win and scene on a perfect Monday night couldn't have been scripted any better. I wish I didn't have to be reminded so soon of how the other end feels, though. Losing 3-2 in the bottom of the 13th inning in an epic College World Series elimination game? You won't find too many things in sports more disappointing than that.
In a season where clutch hitting and big two-out rallies were the norm, the Cavaliers failed 12 of 13 times to plate a run with runners in scoring position and that sealed their fate in Friday's 13-inning, 3-2 loss to South Carolina in the College World Series. The loss dropped the Hoos to a 56-12 final mark for the season and eliminated the Cavaliers from the CWS in Omaha. Anyone interested can greet the Hoos for a fan appreciation night on Saturday, June 25 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Davenport Field.
After taking the day off from playing Cavalier baseball Tuesday night against South Carolina, Virginia returned to playing its brand with great pitching, great defense and timely two-out hitting against California on Thursday. As a result, the Hoos remained alive in the College World Series with an 8-1 win that eliminated the Bears. The team is back in action Friday night at 7 p.m. in a rematch with South Carolina in Omaha.
Let this sink in for a minute. The Virginia baseball team just joined the College World Series Final Four. Incredible isn't it? Though hardly surprising. The Hoos have bounced back from losses all season long with similar fervor found in Thursday night's 8-1 knockout blow against California. It's this ongoing resilience that has endeared fans to the Virginia baseball program.
The Virginia baseball team faces California on Thursday night with a chance to become one of the final four teams playing in the 2011 College World Series. The Cavaliers got to the CWS with a thrilling ninth inning victory against UC Irvine in the Charlottesville Super Regional. Take a look back at the exciting game in this photo gallery that features 100 images of the Hoos' win.
Shaky defense, missed opportunities at the plate, no clutch hitting and an inability to get big outs from the mound led to Virginia's 7-1 loss Tuesday evening to South Carolina. UVa trailed quickly thanks to two errors in the first inning and never recovered. The Cavaliers (55-11) will face California in a College World Series elimination game Thursday night at 7 p.m.
John Hicks looks like Disney's Hercules come to life. He's a tall, statuesque figure with sandy blonde hair and grins like he's having the time of his life. Hicks carries a big club like the figure from mythology too. In Omaha on Sunday, the Virginia catcher used that bat to break a scoreless tie and propel the Cavaliers past California 4-1 in bracket play at the College World Series.
There is the thinnest of lines between dejection and delirium. Second guessing and elation. As Virginia's dugout and stands tight-roped that line Monday evening, a somewhat eerie feeling hung heavily over Davenport Field. Super Regional winner-take-all Game 3. Bottom of the ninth. Down one. Two outs, two strikes, nobody on for David Coleman. A historic baseball season sat in the balance. Then a hit and a sliver of hope. A fortuitous bounce, a four-pitch walk, and Chris Taylor's dancing single up the middle. All a blur really.
Euphoria.
After another long storm delay Sunday at Davenport Field benefitted UC Irvine in the Charlottesville Super Regional. The Anteaters trailed 3-0 when the rain came, but responded with a rally in the late innings to win 6-4. That forces a winner-takes-all Game 3 for a College World Series berth between Virginia and UCI.
Add UC Irvine to the list of teams unable to figure out Virginia pitching this season. Danny Hultzen and Cody Winiarski combined for the Cavaliers' 16th shutout of the year, blanking the Anteaters 6-0 in the opening game of the Charlottesville Super Regional at Davenport Field. The Hoos are one win away from a berth in the College World Series.
If one were writing a textbook on how to build a collegiate baseball program, look no further than the University of Virginia for a case study. On the chopping block of a tiered funding proposal at the turn of the century, the Cavaliers' program has achieved eight straight NCAA Tournament bids and reached its third straight Super Regional. The 2011 Charlottesville Regional and Super Regional rounds have produced sellout numbers of fans. How did the turnaround happen for the Hoos?
Another strong start from a pitcher ... check. Some more clutch two-out hitting ... check. Another Super Regional berth ... check. The Virginia baseball team quickly took care of business in the NCAA Tournament Charlottesville Regional, winning its third straight game in convincing fashion on Sunday to move on to the program's third straight Super Regional. Virginia defeated East Carolina 13-1 to advance.
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