3 College World Series Appearances in 4 Years: How Virginia Got Back to Omaha

Duncan McGrath | Jun 30, 2024

The Virginia baseball team celebrates after defeating Kansas State to advance to the 2024 College World Series. / Virginia Athletics

The Hoos found a way to advance to the pinnacle of college baseball once again. Virginia baseball (46-15) defeated the Kansas State Wildcats (35-26) 10-4 on Saturday afternoon in the Charlottesville Super Regional, advancing to the College World Series for the third time in four years. UVA head coach Brian O’Connor has now led Virginia an astounding seven times to Omaha in the last 15 seasons, which is the second-most of any program in that span. Virginia missed the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019, but O’Connor has returned UVA to the top of the sport nearly every year since then. Here are three reasons why the Cavaliers are once again headed back to Omaha.

Jay Woolfolk’s Rise in the Starting Rotation

It's been a rocky, up-and-down season for Jay Woolfolk in 2024. After serving as a reliever for his first two seasons in a UVA uniform, Woolfolk’s role changed significantly this season. Woolfolk started the first game of his career on February 18th, giving up six earned runs in two innings of work against Hofstra. Woolfolk started three more games as a starter before being moved to the bullpen for the rest of the regular season and ACC Tournament. Going into the NCAA Tournament, Woolfolk's ERA for the season sat at 6.85, easily the worst of his career.

However, everything changed for Woolfolk in the NCAA Tournament. O’Connor trusted Woolfolk to start the Charlottesville Regional Final against Mississippi State, and Woolfolk delivered. Earning himself MVP honors of the Charlottesville Regional, Woolfolk turned in the best performance of his Virginia career, giving up only two runs in a career-high eight innings pitched. His stellar performance led UVA to a 9-3 win over the Bulldogs, helping Virginia advance to the Super Regionals.

In the Charlottesville Super Regional, O’Connor once again trusted Woolfolk to start a pivotal game, and once again Woolfolk delivered. In Saturday’s 10-4 win over Kansas State, Woolfolk turned in another clutch quality start, giving up just three runs in 6 ⅓  innings of work. 

Woolfolk’s rise in the postseason has not only been clutch for Virginia, but the Hoos would not be headed back to Omaha without the massive performances of Jay Woolfolk in big-time starts.

UVA’s Clutch Two-Out Hitting 

In the NCAA Tournament, UVA’s offense has been buoyed by their two-out hitting. In Game One on Friday night of the Charlottesville Super Regional, Virginia scored five of their seven runs with two outs, guiding UVA to a 7-4 win over Kansas State. 

In Game Two of the Charlottesville Super Regional, Virginia once again came through in the clutch, scoring all 10 of their runs in their 10-4 victory with two-outs. In total, the Hoos scored a staggering 15 of their 17 runs with two-outs over the weekend. For a team that has been one of the best offenses in all of college baseball all season, UVA’s two-out hitting was the key to ignite the offense and help the Hoos return to Omaha.

READ MORE: Bracket Set for UVA's Side of the College World Series

Home-Field Advantage at Disharoon Park

All season, Disharoon Park has been a big home-field advantage for Virginia. In the regular season, UVA finished with a 26-7 record at home, winning all but two series. In the NCAA Tournament, Virginia has been even better at Disharoon Park, winning all five of their postseason games in front of the home fans in Charlottesville. UVA has now won 10 of their last 11 games at home in the NCAA Tournament. Every game in the Charlottesville Regional and Charlottesville Super Regional, UVA has had a distinct home-field advantage, which has helped the Hoos return to the College World Series.

The Virginia Cavaliers will open the College World Series on Friday, June 14th against the North Carolina Tar Heels in an all-ACC clash at 2pm ET on ESPN at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha.