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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.
Danny Hultzen, All-American and the second overall pick in the MLB Draft, hurled 6.1 innings of three-hit, scoreless baseball and the Virginia baseball team improved to 55-10 by winning its opening game of the 2011 College World Series. The Hoos broke a scoreless tie in the seventh inning en route to the 4-1 victory against California.
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.
With two starting pitchers with excellent records and statistics on the mound of Saturday's Charlottesville Super Regional, many expected a low-scoring affair between top-seeded Virginia and visiting UC Irvine. After all, the Hoos' Danny Hultzen and the Anteaters' Matt Summers entered the game with a combined 3.29 ERA between them. UVa first baseman Jared King changed all of that with one swing, however, and the Cavaliers moved within one win of the College World Series with a 6-0 victory.
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.
A seat, a seat! Anything for a seat!
Virginia fans may need more than a kingdom to trade for a seat at Davenport Field these days. The Cavalier baseball team is, after all, easily the hottest ticket in town. Fans are tucked in every general admission and reserved seat in sight. They're standing in every nook and cranny. And why not? Anyone at Davenport Field can see just how high quality the on-field product is these days in Charlottesville.
The Virginia baseball team opened the Charlottesville Regional of the NCAA Tournament on Friday with strong pitching and clutch hitting in a win over Navy. Saturday, St. John's got a dose of the Cavaliers' winning formula. ACC Pitcher of the Year Danny Hultzen struck out 12 batters, David Coleman had 4 RBI, and Steven Proscia jumpstarted it all with a first inning home run. When the dust settled, UVa owned a 10-2 win over the Red Storm and a shot at the region title.
If you Google the name David Coleman, the first thing that comes up is The Dating Doctor, "America's Real-Life Hitch." If you add Virginia to the line, you get UVa Miller Center Associate Professor David Coleman, who specializes on nuclear and defense policy. Cavalier senior David Coleman doesn't mind - he's having the time of his life as the "average Joe" right fielder for the nation's No. 1 college baseball team.
Strong pitching, clutch hitting, and good defense have been the consistent harbingers to winning for the Virginia baseball team. Friday's NCAA Tournament opener at Davenport Field proved no different. Will Roberts dominated from the mound with 14 strikeouts, designated hitter Danny Hultzen set the offensive tone with 3 RBI, and the Cavaliers rolled past Navy 6-0.
Sometimes in baseball circles, you hear the descriptive phrase 'He's a bulldog on the mound.' The idea is that the player will hang in there against batters, grind away pitch after pitch, and generally battle for outs. In that way, Virginia junior Danny Hultzen certainly has a little bulldog in him. Turns out, the Cavalier ace is just as feisty at the plate.
The Cavaliers picked a good time to get home run happy.
The top-seeded Virginia baseball team, tied for ninth in the ACC in home runs this season, used the long ball to take down second-seeded Florida State on Sunday, powering its way to a second ACC Championship in the last three years. The Hoos matched their season high with three home runs in the 7-2 victory.
Things didn't start well for Virginia on Friday at the ACC Tournament. By the time Will Roberts secured the final two outs of the first inning, UVa trailed 2-0. And then the rain came. It stayed for a while. After a 7.5 hour wait and that 2-0 deficit, however, the Hoos rallied to top Miami 6-4 and put themselves in favorable position to earn a shot at the title game.
DURHAM, N.C. - When hit with adversity, what separates good teams from champions is how they respond. When pressed, championship caliber clubs respond with statement games that remind all that they are the big dog and plan on remaining as the big dog. Virginia (46-9) played like a No. 1 club and a team locked into an NCAA Tournament top-8 seed by disposing of Wake Forest at the ACC Tournament on Wednesday.
Much has been made about Virginia's struggles after the exam break, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. And while the Cavaliers didn't make things easy thanks to a pair of one-run games, the bottom line is that top-ranked Virginia claimed its ninth straight ACC series win this season and 15th consecutive ACC series overall by taking out 16th ranked Miami two games to one.
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