CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 7 Virginia baseball team pushed its winning streak to 19 games Friday night with a 9-4 victory over No. 4 Miami at Davenport Field. The Cavaliers broke a three-all tie in the fifth inning and used strong pitching from
Danny Hultzen (Fr., Bethesda, Md.),
Kevin Arico (So., Flemington, N.J.) and
Matt Packer (Jr., Germantown, Tenn.) to finish off the win.
UVa (19-0, 5-0 ACC) improved on its school-record winning streak, which also is the longest active streak in the country. The Cavaliers remained the only undefeated team in Division I this year. It also marked UVa’s first-ever 5-0 start in ACC play.
The Cavaliers battered reigning All-American Chris Hernandez (2-1) for seven runs (six earned), nine hits and two walks in 5.1 innings and handed the southpaw his first college loss.
Hultzen (5-0) won his fifth start in as many tries despite not having his best stuff. He went 6.0 innings and gave up three earned runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out six. Arico tossed the seventh inning before Packer wrapped things up with two scoreless innings and four strikeouts.
Jarrett Parker (So., Stafford, Va.) went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and four RBI. He hit a two-run home run in the third inning – his fourth homer of the year.
Franco Valdes (Jr., Miami, Fla.) went 3-for-4, while
Tyler Cannon (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) and
John Barr (So., Ivyland, Pa.) each added a pair of hits.
Virginia started the scoring by manufacturing a run in the first inning. Parker drew a walk to lead off, then got out of a rundown and stole second. First baseman Jason Hagerty’s throw sailed into left field, and Parker advanced to third when left fielder Chris Herrmann booted the ball. Parker scored on a groundout to shortstop by Cannon.
The Hurricanes (16-4, 5-2) wasted no time in grabbing the lead, scoring a pair of runs in the second inning. Herrmann walked to lead off and scored on a double to left-center by Harold Martinez, who later came home on a single by Yasmani Grandal.
Miami tacked on a run in the third inning as Ted Blackman doubled to lead off, moved up on a sacrifice and scored on a Ryan Jackson groundout.
UVa knotted the score in the fourth when Parker launched his fourth home run of the year – a two-run shot and the first long ball allowed by Hernandez this year.
The Cavaliers broke loose with a pair of runs in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by
Phil Gosselin (So., West Chester, Pa.) and a run-scoring single by
Dan Grovatt (So., Tabernacle, N.J.), who extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games (21 dating to last season).
The Cavaliers doubled their lead with two more in the sixth to force Hernandez from the game.
John Barr (So., Ivyland, Pa.) brought home the first run on a fielder’s choice and Parker got the second home with a sacrifice fly.
Miami scored a run in the seventh on a Scott Lawson sacrifice fly, but UVa responded in its half of the inning as UM relief pitcher Rene Guerra balked in Cannon.
The Cavaliers posted their final run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Parker.
Virginia and Miami continue the three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest Saturday.
Full Scoreboard
Courtesy: Jim Daves/UVa Media Relations
