Beau Seabury and the Cavaliers are looking for another series win this weekend.

With a 2-1 series win over the Tigers at Clemson, the Virginia Cavaliers improved to 34-9 overall and 13-7 in the ACC. The loss combined with North Carolina's win in the third game of their weekend series with Florida State dropped the Hoos one-half game behind the Tar Heels in the Coastal Division race.

The road series win was the third in four attempts this season by the Cavaliers. Virginia lost the first series of the year at Wake Forest (1-2) and have won three consecutive at Chapel Hill (2-1), Virginia Tech (3-0), and Clemson (2-1).

"I think we've played very well on the road," says Virginia skipper Brian O'Connor. "I think we've played tough on the road, but that's what a mature, veteran team can do. Sometime in this league you can get into trouble on the road or get swallowed because of the team your playing or the crowd that's there. You don't get a chance to bat last. Because we have a veteran ball club, I think that's a big reason we've played we'll on the road. They're not afraid of anything."

In O'Connor's first season, the Cavaliers posted an impressive 11-4 record away from home, including a sweep of Super Regional participant Georgia Tech. But Virginia struggled against N.C. State (1-2) and Miami (1-2), two teams that also made it to the NCAA postseason. The Cavs had a miserable road record in 2005 going 3-10 but they eclipsed the .500 mark last season at 8-7. This season O'Connor's squad is 8-4 on the road with one series remaining with Boston College (16-22-1, 9-12 ACC). Senior closer Casey Lambert tells The Sabre that Virginia's record says a lot about the teams' ability to go into an opponent's house and deliver wins.

"We're able to go to another team's yard and not back down from a challenge," notes Lambert. "We've not been intimated by the fans or the atmosphere playing out of our comfort zone. We've done a better job this year than we have in the previous three years of taking care of business on the road."

Ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation all season, Virginia has been a big draw on the road this season and has encountered some record crowds. In Lexington against VMI and in Richmond against VCU, Virginia played in front of record baseball crowds for both schools. The Clemson series was sold out for weeks anticipating the arrival of the Cavaliers. Lambert says it shows how Virginia has gone from being the hunter to the hunted.

"We were still seen as the hunters in 2005 and even last year. But seeing those record crowds shows us we're there, where we want to be. Other teams and fans are looking forward to the opportunity to see us play."
~ Virginia's Casey Lambert
"We were still seen as the hunters in 2005 and even last year. But seeing those record crowds shows us we're there, where we want to be. Other teams and fans are looking forward to the opportunity to see us play," said Lambert.

Fans are also coming to watch the home team take out a top-ranked squad. Virginia won the first two games of the Clemson series and lost a 2-1 nail biter on Sunday.

Five years ago, a win over the Hoos would have drawn ho-hums and yawns from a Doug Kingsmore Stadium crowd. Judged by the Tigers reaction and that of their fans Sunday, one might have thought Clemson had just won a regional final, not simply game three of an ACC weekend series. O'Connor notes that respect is an indication of just how far the Cavalier program has progressed in four short seasons.

"I think that shows where our program has come," O'Connor said. "People have respect for what we're accomplishing and people realize we've got a pretty darn good baseball program and they're coming out to watch us play. It's been fun to see that."

Virginia won the opener 5-3, breaking open a 1-1 game with a three-run fourth inning and held on to win as Lambert pitched out of two-on, two-out jam in the ninth inning. Three pitchers combined for 3-0 shutout in game two with Lambert again working his way out of trouble - this time it was of the bases-loaded variety - to record his 41st career save. Clemson took the final game, securing the win with a game-ending double play with the tying run in scoring position. The big crowds and the intensity gave the weekend an NCAA Regional feel.

"Your playing a regional type team [in Clemson]," says O'Connor. "A team that has a pitching staff that could pitch their team to Omaha. A great crowd and an environment that's a regional, super regional kind of environment. Weekends like that prepare you for what you're going to run into at the end of the season."

Lambert agreed saying Virginia's ability to handle top ranked teams like Clemson and North Carolina is good experience for the younger players.

"Beautiful weather, night games, 5,000 people there - it really felt like a regional," added Lambert. "They were tight ballgames the entire weekend and nobody was out of game. That's what you get here in the ACC. You play intense games day in and day out. I think it was good for our team. It was good experience for some these younger guys that haven't been in an atmosphere like that."

"With our approach going in to games of not backing down and trying to attack other teams as much as possible, we're able to get some of those big dogs on their heels," Lambert continued. "It's a big part of what makes it fun to go into place like Clemson where they've been expected to win for years, they've got big crowds, and they expect their team to do well. To go in there and knock them off two out three ballgames in their ball park, it's an amazing feeling."

As Greg Miclat explains, winning on the road is often what separates good teams from championship clubs.

"From just being a spectator of college baseball growing up, great teams win on the road," he said. "Winning on the road is hard. When we play at home, we expect to win. Winning on the road is huge. It can lift your ball club; it can carry your ball club."

But Miclat concludes the recipe for success for the Cavaliers is to simply play Virginia baseball.

"We're concerned with how we play and our business rather than how an opponent views us," he said. "We try not to get caught up in rankings because we know that if we show up, do the things we're capable of doing and we execute, the wins will take care of themselves."

Cavaliers Return Home For Nine Games

Maryland Series
Friday, 7 p.m. (ACC Select, WVAX 1450 AM, WMUC Sports)
Jacob Thompson, R (9-0), 76 IP, 1.54 ERA, .195 OBA, 76 K
Maryland: Casey Baron, L (4-3), 71.1 IP, 3.66 ERA, .285 OBA, 50 K
Saturday, 7 p.m. (ACC Select, WINA 1070 AM)
Matt Packer, L (3-2), 53.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, .307 OBA, 53 K
Maryland: Ryan Moorer, L (3-3), 54.1 IP, 4.97 ERA, .284 OBA, 34 K
Sunday, 1 p.m. (ACC Select, WINA 1070 AM)
Sean Doolittle, L (6-3), 58 IP, 2.33 ERA, .234 OBA, 46 K
Maryland: Kevin Biringer, R (3-8), 46.2 IP, 5.98 ERA, .312 OBA, 39 K
Virginia's Davenport Field, Capacity 2,660, Natural Grass, LF-335, LCF-377, CF-408, RCF- 377, RF-335
Virginia began the first of a nine-game home stand with a 7-6, 14-inning loss to JMU on Wednesday night. The Cavaliers (34-10, 21-4 home) now turn their attention to ACC rival Maryland. The Terps enter the series reeling from three consecutive losses by a combined 28-5 margin. Maryland opened a seven-game road swing at Duke last Friday, taking the first game 5-4 in 11 innings. Saturday and Sunday, the Blue Devils claimed 11-1 and 4-2 victories.

The biggest concern for the Cavaliers is the power hitting ability of the Terps. Maryland has had no problems hitting the long ball thus far in 2007, as the Terrapins have blasted 27 home runs in 43 games. Sophomore Mike Murphy and senior Dan Melvin lead the team with five home runs. The Terps are 13-5 this season in games they have hit at least one round-tripper.

Maryland enters this weekend's series ranked seventh in the league in batting at .290 but are 10th in the ACC in pitching with a 5.10 ERA.

Notes

Three Virginia baseball players have been selected to the Dick Howser Trophy watch list, announced Thursday by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Sean Doolittle, Brandon Guyer, and Jacob Thompson all are nominees for the award. Virginia joins Texas as the only schools in the nation with three selections to the watch list, which is comprised of 50 candidates.

The nine successful stolen bases by the Hoos on Friday night were the most ever for Virginia squad in a single game. It fell three bases short of the ACC record of 12.

Sunday's loss to Clemson was the Cavaliers' first loss to the Tigers in eight games. Virginia's last loss to the Tigers came on April 16, 2005 in South Carolina.

The Sunday loss was Virginia's fourth series finale defeat in seven attempts this season. The Hoos have lost to Wake, UNC, Miami, and Clemson on Sunday. They have defeated Duke and Virginia Tech. The Sunday contest against Georgia Tech was rained out.

Wednesday night's loss to JMU marked the first time this season Virginia has lost back-to-back games. It also ended a seven-game losing streak to the Cavaliers by the Dukes.

More than 14,968 fans were on hand to witness the three game series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson.

Brandon Guyer's team leading 26-game hitting streak came to an end Sunday afternoon after he went 0 for 3 with a walk.

With his ninth save of the season in Virginia's 3-0 win Saturday vs. Clemson, closer Casey Lambert tied the ACC record for career saves at 41.

The Numbers

Power Rankings
NCAA: RPI 13
Boyd's World: Strength of Schedule 120, RPI 25
Warren Nolan: Strength of Schedule 47, RPI 12

Polls
Baseball American #3
Rivals.com #3
Collegiate Baseball #5
NCBWA #7
USA Today #7

(This is a sample of what subscribers receive with their subscription to the Sabre EDGE. No Wahoo should be without it because we provide the best across-the-board coverage of the Cavaliers from football to basketball to recruiting to lacrosse and beyond. EDGE subscribers get exclusive features, analysis, game coverage, photos, and more! Sign up today!)