Thompson Sets UVa Wins Record in Victory over Siena

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Jacob Thompson (Jr., Danville, Va.) set the Virginia career wins record Friday as the 16th-ranked Cavaliers topped Siena, 17-2, at Davenport Field. Thompson earned his 23rd career victory, besting former Cavaliers Sean Doolittle (2005-07), Joe Koshansky (2001-04) and Seth Greisinger (1994-96). The win pushed Virginia to 7-0 on the young season, the program’s best start in a season since the 1971 squad opened 7-0.

Thompson (2-0) pitched seven solid innings, giving up an unearned run, four hits and two walks while striking out 10. Brad Grove (Jr., Glen Allen, Va.) pitched the final two innings to close out the game. Matt Moberg (0-2) took the loss for Siena (0-5) after allowing five runs, seven hits and a walk in three innings.

At the plate, the Cavaliers continued their recent tear, racking up 18 hits. UVa has recorded 11 or more hits in each of the last five games, with 55 hits in the last three games. Greg Miclat (Jr., Concord, N.C.) led the offensive onslaught with a 3-for-5 performance while driving in a career-best five runs. He also scored three times.

David Coleman (Fr., Richmond, Va.) went 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Tyler Cannon (So., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.), David Adams (Jr., Margate, Fla.), Jeremy Farrell (Jr., Westlake, Ohio) and Phil Gosselin (Fr., West Chester, Pa.) each notched two hits. Coleman and Gosselin were two of the five freshmen that started Friday for Virginia.

The Cavaliers had a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth inning and then exploded for six runs in the fourth while sending 11 men to the plate. Miclat had the key hit in the inning, a two-run single to score Tyler Biddix (Fr., Richmond, Va.) and John Barr (Fr., Ivyland, Pa.), and Jarrett Parker (Fr., Stafford, Va.) scampered home on a fielding error by right fielder Dan Lazzaroni.

Virginia also had a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by a rare two-RBI fielder’s choice by Coleman. As the Saints attempted to turn a 6-4-3 double play, Miclat scored easily from third, but Cannon never stopped running from second base and easily coasted home as Coleman beat the throw to first.

The Cavaliers added a run in the seventh, then tacked on three runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by a two-run double off the left-field wall by Will Campbell (Jr., Yorktown, Va.).

The game was part of a round robin tournament this weekend. In the opening game, Cornell defeated Siena, 1-0.

Virginia plays twice Saturday. The Cavaliers take on Cornell at noon, then battle Siena in a rematch at 3 p.m.