Virginia Crushes VMI 14-0 in Home Opener

The Cavaliers were dominant in their first game at Disharoon Park this season

Photo courtesy of Virginia Athletics Communications

Virginia baseball continued its strong start to the season with a dominant 14-0 victory over VMI in the home opener on Wednesday afternoon at Disharoon Park. 

The Cavaliers picked up their third shutout of the young season as five UVA pitchers combined to blank the Keydets, led by Devin Ortiz, who made his first start on the mound since his epic performance against Old Dominion in the Columbia Regional last season. Ortiz threw four scoreless innings, giving up only three hits, and striking out six batters. 

Chris Newell scored on a fielder's choice to give UVA a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, but it wasn't until the next inning that the Cavaliers took control of the game, putting up six runs in the bottom of the third, all with two outs. Freshman Colin Tuft hit a two-RBI single to bring in Ortiz and Teel, then Chris Newell hit a two-run home run to make it 5-0. Jake Gelof made it back-to-back home runs as he homered to left center. 

But the Cavaliers weren't done yet. 

Freshman Casey Saucke then doubled down the right field line and Max Cotier drove him in with an RBI single up the middle. Griff O'Ferrall flied out to center field to end the inning, but the damage was done as Virginia built a 7-0 lead. 

UVA tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning, as Devin Ortiz hit a solo home run, the second time in his career that he has homered in the same game in which he was the starting pitcher. Alex Tappen doubled and then scored on a single by Chris Newell. Tuft scored his second run of the game as Jake Gelof brought him home with a sacrifice fly. 

Virginia scored three more times in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back doubles by freshman Ethan Anderson, which scored Newell, and Max Cotier, which scored Gelof and Anderson. Alex Tappen scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh to make it 14-0. 

Joseph Miceli pitched two innings and Dylan Bowers, Alex Greene, and Jay Woolfolk each pitched one inning to complete the shutout victory for the Hoos. 

With the win, Virginia improves to 4-0 on the season. The Cavaliers will host their first home-series of the season as Cornell comes to Charlottesville for games on Friday (3pm), Saturday (1pm), and Sunday (1pm) at Disharoon Park. 

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