Cavs Win Battle Of Ranked Teams

Steven Proscia (UVA photo)

Sophomore ace Danny Hultzen (1-0) picked up the win for UVA after working six strong frames where he allowed two runs on four hits, walked three and fanned four. Tyler Wilson picked up the three-inning save surrendering just two hits and striking out four.

ECU’s Seth Maness (0-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs (all earned) on six hits in 5 2/3 innings, where he fanned four and walked one. For Maness it was his first regular season loss since his all- america freshman campaign when he dropped a 5-4 decision against Tulane on May 9. Zach Woods made his Pirate debut logging one inning (4 H, 2 R, 2 ER) and Patrick Somers closed out the final 2 1/3 frames with a pair of strikeouts.

The Pirates struck early in the bottom of the first taking a 2-0 lead off Virginia’s southpaw. Dustin Harrington extended his current hitting streak to nine games with a one out single then took third on Kyle Roller’s double to left center. After Devin Harris drew a four-pitch walk, Austin Homan drove in the first run on Hultzen’s second-straight walk of the frame. Senior Jared Avchen pushed across ECU’s final run on a ground out to first that plated Roller.

In the fourth, UVA knotted the game at two thanks to Jarrett Parker’s double to left center that plated Dan Grovatt. Hultzen led off with a single up the middle, which was followed by another UVA single off the bat of Grovatt to right. Proscia drove in the first of his four runs on a sac fly to draw UVA within one, 2-1.

John Barr led off the seventh for UVA with a single to right and scored three batters later when Gravott roped his second base knock of the day to right, pushing the lead to 5-2. Proscia followed with his second hit, this time a single through the left side scoring Grovatt and capping the scoring at 6-2.

Offensively ECU was limited to just six hits on the day, its lowest hit total since April 25, 2009 when they recorded five against Southern Miss in game two of a doubleheader in Clark-LeClair Stadium. Harrington (49 games) and Roller (52 games) each collected two hits, while Harris and Cam Freeman recorded singles.

Virginia’s 2-through-5 hitters combined for eight hits and drove in all six runs.

The Pirates and Cavaliers will play game two of the three-game tilt Saturday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. (EST).