The Shadow
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – On a frigid day at Disharoon Park, the No. 9 Virginia baseball team (17-4) collected the season’s seventh come-from-behind victory on Tuesday (March 17) with a 6-4 win over the Georgetown Hoyas (13-9).
After surrendering the lead to Georgetown in the top of the seventh, the Cavalier offense scored four runs in the home half of the frame to recapture the lead for good at 6-4. The rally was highlighted by a two-run single from Harrison Didawick that tied the contest before an RBI single from Eric Becker put Virginia ahead.
Out of the bullpen, Kevin Jaxel picked up his fourth win of the season. Sam Harris led the way offensively for UVA, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a scoreless top of the first, Harris put UVA out front with a two-out two-run blast to left center. The homer was Harris’ eighth of the season and plated AJ Gracia, who reached base earlier in the frame on a single to left.
- Georgetown answered in the top of the second with a home run of its own when Ashtin Gilio cut the Virginia advantage in half with a solo shot to right field.
- Following the home run, the Cavalier pitching trio of Noah Yoder, Bredan Cowen and Christian Lucarelli each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
- The Hoyas notched the game at 2-2 in the sixth on an RBI sacrifice fly to left.
- An inning later, Georgetown grabbed its first and only lead of the contest when a two-run home run from Connor Price made it a 4-2 game.
- Virginia wasted no time regaining the upper hand as the Cavaliers tied the game at 4-4 with a two-run single from Didawick that scored Joe Tiroly and Harris.
- Later in the frame, UVA took the lead for good on an Eric Becker single that forced a Georgetown throwing error. The play saw Didawick and Antonio Perrotta scamper home to make it a 6-4 Cavalier lead.
- Jaxel closed out his relief outing by retiring the visiting side in the top of the eighth to fully seize control for Virginia.
- Tyler Kapa collected his fourth save of the season on Tuesday by retiring all three Hoyas he faced in the ninth to seal the 6-4 Virginia victory.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Virginia improves to 24-17 all-time against Georgetown and has won the last five meetings dating back to 2015.
- The UVA pitching staff racked up 15 strikeouts on Tuesday, which is tied for the second most this season.
- Sam Harris’ first-inning home run was his eighth home run of the season and ties him with AJ Gracia for the team lead.
FROM HEAD COACH CHRIS POLLARD
“I thought it was a really gritty performance by our team. We really had to weather a really good starting pitcher. People will probably look at his numbers to start this season and say he had a seven ERA or whatever it was, but JT Raab was their number one last year and was one of the best pitchers in the Big East. He is working his way back into shape in the midweek after having a late start because of an injury. When it is on, and it was on today, it is as unicorn of a fastball as there is in college baseball and it gave us some fits. For us, our pitching was up to the task of keeping the ballgame within striking distance and we were able to get Raab out and get into the bullpen a little bit. I thought it was a gritty win.”
UP NEXT
No. 9 Virginia will hit the road on Wednesday for a midweek contest at Liberty on Wednesday (March 18). The Cavaliers and Flames are slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch that will be carried on ESPN+ and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).
