The No. 21 Virginia baseball team jumped out to an early 6-0 lead en route to a 12-5, series-opening win over Georgia Tech on Thursday night at Mac Nease Park in Atlanta.
The Cavaliers (42-11, 17-11 ACC) won the opening game of an ACC series for the seventh times this year as they extended their win streak to seven games, the third win streak of seven or more games this season.
Kyle Teel drove in four runs in a 1-for-4, two-run effort at the plate. He gave UVa a 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the first inning, his 10th long ball of the season.
Casey Saucke went 3-for-5 with three RBI. His three-run, two-out double in the top of the third inning gave the Wahoos a 6-0 lead. It was Saucke’s 12th double of the year. Ethan O’Donnell collected three hits, including his 11th home run of the season, a two-run blast that gave Virginia an 8-3 advantage in the fifth inning.
People are also reading…
The Cavaliers tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Jake Gelof recorded his 80th RBI of the season by drawing a bases-loaded walk that scored Henry Godbout, then Griff O’Ferrall came around to score on an RBI groundout to third base. O’Ferrall scored two runs in the game, upping his season total to 66, the fourth-highest single-season total in program history.
UVa capped its scoring with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning. The run support was more than enough for Virginia's pitching staff.
Starter Nick Parker pitched the first five innings and allowed three earned runs to improve to 6-0 on the season. Parker has won his last three decisions and UVa is 10-2 this season in games that he starts.
Freshman reliever Evan Blanco took over for Parker in the sixth and struck out three of the seven batters he faced in two scoreless innings. After Georgia Tech pulled within five after scoring two runs against Jack O'Connor, Kevin Jaxel came on and got the final four outs of the game for Virginia.
The series continues on Friday with the middle game of a three-game set from Atlanta. Virginia will have Connelly Early (10-1) on the mound. He will be opposed by Georgia Tech right-hander Aeden Finateri (2-3) First pitch on ACCNX and WINA is scheduled for 6 p.m.
