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Florida State: Since the arrival of coach Brian O'Connor, Virginia baseball has gone from the garbage heap to the penthouse. Certainly his youngest team in years that was not even ranked before the season started could not buck that trend.
Well, the Cavaliers entered the ACC baseball tournament seeded sixth. Their start to the season had gained them attention but they had to prove they could win the big game, and particularly the close one. Well Virginia beat Clemson in the opener and then proceeded to proverbially punch the Carolina Tar Heels in the mouth with an mercy rule victory.
After a comeback victory against Duke, it was on to the championship game with the Seminoles. When the Seminoles scored two runs in the first it appeared Virginia would meet a similar fate. However, a strong relief outing by Matt Packer and Tyler Wilson held Florida State scoreless for over five innings allowed the Cavaliers to come back and tie the game at In the ninth, freshman John Hicks hit the biggest base hit of his life for the go-ahead run and an insurance run to boot.
Hicks had not exactly shined during the tournament but his big hit was followed by another RBI for all-tournament catcher Franco Valdes giving Virginia a lead. The lead was more than enough for Kevin Arrico who notched the save and Virginia captured only the second ACC baseball title in school history. Men's Tennis vs. Georgia: You see, as great as Virginia has been against the rest of the country, they had never beaten the Bulldogs. In , it would be no different.
A hot day full of cramping and tension led to a Georgia victory. In , Virginia once again faced Georgia. This time in the finals of the indoor national championship. The Cavaliers were able to capture the valuable doubles point, just like they had done in their last meeting. Without three starters from last season, including the all-time UVA great Somdev Devvarman, Virginia put on a show for the ages.
Houston Barrick took care of business quickly , but the Bulldogs answered right back with knocking out top seeded Cavalier Dom Inglot. Steven Rooda won in straight sets and Drew Courtney responded after losing the first set to take the match and the victory.
By getting the monkey off their back, the Cavaliers would once again enter the NCAA tournament with an undefeated record. Though their season once again ended prematurely, this time to the USC Trojans, Virginia continues to be a program on the verge of an outdoor national championship. If they do, expect the win over the Bulldogs to have served as the confidence needed to bring them championship glory.
The Cavaliers had survived the "Region of Death" for their first ever appearance in the Super Regionals. Their reward was a trip to Oxford, MS. Virginia was kicking themselves after throwing away the first game on two costly errors that led to two runs for the Rebels.
Ole Miss was not feeling any better after game two where an error of their own in the eighth inning led to a decisive, winner-take-all contest on Sunday. The Cavaliers had already used their two aces Danny Hultzen and Robert Morey, so coach Brian O'Connor was left to implement a pitcher-by-committee approach. Robert Poutier began the game and recovered from a tough start where the Cavaliers gave up the opening run for the second straight game in the first.
Phil Gosselin helped tie the game by using the "small ball" gameplan that has typified Virginia baseball. Gosselin singled and stole second without a throw before a Dan Grovatt walk and double steal.
Then the fifth inning turned into a comedy of errors where Virginia scored three runs off costly fielding mistakes by Ole Miss. The pressure of having to win a regional after three straight close losses at home began to weigh on the Rebels and an insurance run in the eighth gave Virginia a edge that they would not relinquish.
The victory gave Virginia their first ever appearance in the College World Series and gained the program and unprecedented amount of exposure and respect. For a program that was almost eliminated in , the Virginia baseball team put on a spring to remember.
After the football and basketball seasons, Cavaliers needed a team to believe in and the baseball team filled the role beautifully. Coach O'Connor took a bunch of kids that no one believed in and got them to believe in each other. No additional information will be forthcoming from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. On behalf of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society, I would like to thank each of you for supporting and participating in the Virginia Senior Games, and wish you continued success in your competition.
Thank you, Virginia Recreation and Park Society.
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