No. 16 Baseball Holds Off Old Dominion, 7-3

Courtesy: Matt Riley / UVa Media Relations Matt Packer gave up just an unearned run and one hit in six solid innings vs. Old Dominion.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia baseball team built an early lead and held off a late Old Dominion rally to top the Monarchs, 7-3, Wednesday at a chilly Davenport Field. Matt Packer (So., Germantown, Tenn.) gave the Cavaliers another solid starting pitching performance, while David Adams (Jr., Margate, Fla.) and Jeremy Farrell (Jr., Westlake, Ohio) each had three hits to pace a 15-hit attack.

Packer (1-0) tossed six innings, surrendering just an unearned run, one hit and two walks while striking out seven. Michael Schwimer (Sr., Alexandria, Va.) recorded the final out of the ninth inning to pick up his second save. ODU starter Matt Walls (0-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up six runs (three earned), 11 hits and two walks in 5.2 innings. He also struck out three. Packer, Robert Morey (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.) and Schwimer combined to allow just three hits and no earned runs while fanning 11.

Farrell went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Adams went 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored. Greg Miclat (Jr., Concord, N.C.), Tyler Cannon (So., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.), Ryan Smith (So., Waldorf, Md.) and John Barr (Fr., Ivyland, Pa.) each posted two-hit games.

The Cavaliers entered the ninth inning with a 7-1 advantage, only to see Old Dominion stage another late rally. Tuesday, the Monarchs scored eight runs in their final three at-bats to post an 8-6 win in 10 innings at No. 2 North Carolina. ODU scored two unearned runs against Morey and brought the tying run to the plate with two outs, but Schwimer struck out Bryan Cipolla looking to end the game.

Virginia (5-0) got off to a good start by scoring twice in its opening at-bat. Miclat was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved up on a wild pitch. Cannon then doubled down the left-field line to score Miclat. Two batters later, Farrell singled to score Cannon and give UVa a 2-0 lead.

Old Dominion (2-2) scored an unearned run in the fourth inning to slice the lead in half. With one out, Chris Keenan reached on an error, and he stole second as Bryan Cipolla struck out. Anthony Shawler followed with a double to left to score Keenan and cut the score to 2-1.

Virginia countered with a run of its own in the fourth inning. After Virginia loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles by Smith, Barr and Jarrett Parker (Fr., Stafford, Va.), Miclat grounded into a double play to score Smith and give the Cavaliers a 3-1 advantage

Old Dominion loaded the bases in the fifth inning, but Packer struck out Keenan looking to end the threat and keep the score at 3-1.

Virginia broke loose for three runs in the sixth inning, with all the damage coming with two outs. Cannon singled to scored Parker, and Miclat came home during the next at-bat on a wild pitch. Adams followed with a single to score Cannon and give Virginia a 6-1 lead. The Cavaliers tacked on another run in the eight inning on a Farrell double which plated Adams.

The Monarchs benefited from two UVa errors in the ninth inning in scoring their two runs. All three Monarch runs in the game were unearned, as UVa committed four errors in the contest.

The Cavaliers next play host to Coppin State at 4 p.m. Thursday in the makeup of a rescheduled game from Tuesday.