Virginia Hits Two Grand Slams, Crushes Boston College 18-1

The Cavaliers exploded for five home runs to take game two against the Eagles

Matt Newton | Mar 20, 2022

Photo courtesy of Olivia Taylor/Virginia Athletics Communications

After needing a come-from-behind effort and a walk-off hit from Chris Newell to win game one in extra innings on Friday, the Cavaliers decided to ditch the theatrics in game two. Virginia exploded for 16 hits, including five home runs and two grand slams, and crushed Boston College 18-1 on Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.

After a scoreless first inning, UVA put eight runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Casey Saucke walked and scored on a double from Ethan Anderson. Then, with the bases loaded, Kyle Teel took a 1-0 pitch deep to right center for a grand slam, Teel's third grand slam of the season.

Mr. Grand Slam. Kyle Teel's THIRD granny of the season.

The man is 4-for-4 with 3 grand slams, a triple and 14 RBI w/ the bases loaded this season 🤯🤯#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/hTsiWI5mSb
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 19, 2022

After a Devin Ortiz walk, Jake Gelof hit his 10th home run of the season, once again blasting a ball off the clubhouse in left center field.

HOME RUN NUMBER 🔟!

Jake Gelof makes it 𝙎𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉 runs here in the second!

📺: ACCNX | #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/U5Z7J0Jw0L
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 19, 2022

To cap off the inning, Chris Newell walked, advanced to second and then third on back-to-back wild pitches, and then came home on an error to make it 8-0.

Virginia's big-time second inning was more than enough for Brian Gursky, who started on the mound and went six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and recording six strikeouts. The grad transfer from USC improved to 5-0 this season.

The Eagles scored their lone run of the game in the top of the third inning on a solo home run from Travis Honeyman, his third homer of the series. Boston College managed just five hits in the game.

Virginia scored again in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single from Devin Ortiz, who then came home on Jake Gelof's second home run of the game. Gelof now leads the country in home runs with 11.

1️⃣9️⃣ Games. 1️⃣1️⃣ home runs.

🤝 Meet Jake Gelof

📺 ACCNX | #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/pBuxhVspax
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 19, 2022

Virginia piled on late in the game on a three-run home run from Alex Tappen in the seventh and then a grand slam, UVA's second of the game, from Chris Newell in the bottom of the eighth.

Dylan Bowers replaced Gursky in the seventh and struck out five batters and gave up just one hit in two innings of scoreless pitching. Paul Kosanovich came on and pitched a perfect ninth inning to close out the victory.

Interestingly, Virginia's 18-1 win over Boston College improves the Cavaliers' overall record to 18-1 on the season. UVA, now 4-1 in ACC play, will look to finish off the first ACC sweep of the season against Boston College on Sunday at 1pm at Disharoon Park.

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