Cavaliers Now

No. 7 Virginia Puts on a Clinic in Game 1, Thrashes No. 20 Miami 14-2

Brian Edgington was phenomenal on the mound and the UVA offense scored 14 runs on 16 hits, including four home runs

Matt Newton

Virginia Athletics

With the top two teams in the ACC Coastal Division going head-to-head in a pivotal series, the gravity of this opportunity was clearly not lost on the Cavaliers, who delivered perhaps their most impressive and complete performance of the season in a demolishing victory over a quality Hurricanes team. 

Brian Edgington was practically untouchable on the mound and the UVA offense gave him plenty of offensive support, putting up 14 runs on 16 hits, including four home runs, as No. 7 Virginia opened the series with a 14-2 beatdown over No. 20 Miami on Friday night at Disharoon Park. 

Edgington set the tone early with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings and the Virginia offense quickly followed suit, scoring seven runs in the first three innings. Casey Saucke got the scoring started by obliterating a solo home run that went an estimated 427 feet and cleared the bleachers in left field. 

Perhaps rattled by Saucke's long ball, Miami starter Gage Ziehl proceeded to give up a single to Harrison Didawick, followed by a wild pitch, and another single to Griff O'Ferrall before Ethan O'Donnell came up and hit a three-run home into the bullpen in right field. 

UVA added three more runs in the bottom of the third, this time taking advantage of a few singles and a Miami error. Ethan Anderson and Anthony Stephan got on board with a couple of singles and then an error allowed Anderson to score. Griff O'Ferrall came up with two outs and the bases loaded and hit a single to right field, scoring two more runs to make it 7-0. 

Edgington gave up just two baserunners through the first five innings and kept the Hurricanes off the board through the first six. The Cavaliers put the game out of reach with a six-spot in the bottom of the sixth. Didawick hit a leadoff single, stole second base, and scored on a base hit from Jake Gelof. Kyle Teel then hit a double and both he and Gelof scored on a single from Ethan Anderson. Stephan drew a walk and then Casey Saucke went yard for the second time in the game, this time for a three-run homer to left center to make it 13-0. 

Edgington lost the shutout with a solo homer off the bat of Ian Farrow in the top of the seventh, but he retired the next three batters and finished his brilliant outing with 10 strikeouts and just one earned run on four hits in seven innings of work. Chase Hungate came on in the eighth and gave up an RBI single to Lorenzo Carrier, but Virginia responded in the bottom of the eighth as Jake Gelof hit a ball deep over the wall in left center for his ninth home run of the season and the 35th of his UVA career. 

Jacob Hodorovich gave up a double and a walk in the ninth, but finished off the game without allowing a run as Virginia secured the 14-2 win to open the series. 

Edgington was deservedly credited with the win after a fantastic performance on the mound and there was no shortage of impressive performances from the UVA bats. Griff O'Ferrall went 3 for 5 with two RBI and Jake Gelof and Ethan Anderson had two RBI apiece. Ethan O'Donnell had three RBI and Casey Saucke had four RBI and two home runs. 

Now 26-4 and 9-4 in ACC play, Virginia will look to clinch the series win against Miami in game 2 on Saturday at 1pm at Disharoon Park. 

To stay up to date on all Virginia Cavaliers sports news, follow CavaliersNow on social media:

Facebook: @CavaliersNow
Twitter: @CavaliersNowFN

See more Virginia baseball news and content: Virginia Baseball on Sports Illustrated

See more Virginia sports news and content: Virginia Cavaliers on Sports Illustrated

Published
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.

Home/Baseball