Cavaliers Now

No. 23 NC State Uses Three-Run Ninth to Take Game 3 Against No. 14 Virginia

The Wolfpack scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to avoid getting swept by the Cavaliers on Saturday in Raleigh

Matt Newton

Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics

Back-to-back home runs from Jake Gelof and Kyle Teel gave the Cavaliers a 4-2 lead in the ninth inning, just three outs away from securing the three-game sweep. Instead, the Wolfpack scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, as No. 23 NC State rallied to beat No. 14 Virginia 5-4 to avoid the sweep on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh. 

UVA got on the board first as Ethan O'Donnell singled and scored on a Jake Gelof triple down the right field line. NC State kept the UVA batters at bay for nearly the remainder of the game, though, as the Cavaliers went scoreless from the second through the eighth innings thanks to solid showings on the mound from Rio Britton and Sam Highfill for the Wolfpack. 

NC State took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on a pair of solo homers from Eli Serrano III and Chase Nixon. UVA starter Jack O'Connor had a decent outing beyond those two blemishes, as the freshman righty went 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and striking out eight batters. The middle of the game was a pitchers' duel with neither team scoring from the third inning through the eighth.

With NC State holding a slim 2-1 lead entering the ninth inning, the top of Virginia's lineup came up clutch to give the Cavaliers a chance at completing the sweep. Griff O'Ferrall hit a leadoff double to left field. After a popout from Ethan O'Donnell, Jake Gelof absolutely crushed a ball that cleared the UVA bullpen beyond the left field wall to put the Cavaliers in front. 

Kyle Teel came up next and hit an opposite field line drive that snuck over the wall in left field for a solo home run to make it 4-2 in favor of Virginia. 

After pitching almost three innings in game 1 on Thursday, Jake Berry was asked to pitch two more innings on Saturday to close things out. Berry worked through the eighth inning and retired two out of the first three batters in the ninth. Chase Nixon hit a one-out double and then Parker Nolan grounded out to third to get the Wolfpack down to their final out. Kalae Harrison delivered a clutch single up the middle to score Nixon from second and then LuJames Groover III followed that up with a single. Jacob Cozart drew a walk to load the bases and then Cannon Peebles played the part of the hero, delivering a single up the middle, scoring two runs to give NC State the walk-off 5-4 win. 

It's undoubtedly a frustrating way to end the series, but the Cavaliers are still in good shape having started ACC play by winning a pair of series on the road against ranked opponents. Virginia (17-2, 4-2 ACC) returns home for a pair of midweek games against High Point on Tuesday and Georgetown on Wednesday at Disharoon Park. 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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