Virginia's Season Comes to an End With 4-3 Loss to TCU at College World Series

The Cavaliers went 0-2 in Omaha, losing each game by just one run

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 Virginia baseball season has come to an end. 

UVA went 0-2 at the College World Series, losing each game by just one run. Virginia (50-15) fell to the No. 2 overall seed Florida 6-5 on Friday night and then suffered a 4-3 defeat to TCU (43-23) on Sunday afternoon, bringing the Cavaliers' time in Omaha, and their 2023 season, to a close. 

The first inning saw each team score one run, as Elijah Nunez hit a leadoff double and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Cole Fontenelle. Virginia answered right away in the bottom of the first in similar fashion, with Griff O'Ferrall hitting a leadoff double and scoring on a fielder's choice grounder by Jake Gelof. Both pitchers settled in fairly well after that, with UVA starter Connelly Early and TCU starter Sam Stoutenborough combining to give up just one earned run over the next four frames. 

TCU scored a run in the top of the third as Karson Bowen singled, advanced to third on a double by Brayden Taylor, and scored on a groundout by Fontenelle, his second RBI. That gave the Horned Frogs a lead that they would never relinquish. They extended their lead in the top of the seventh after UVA replaced Early with Brian Edgington, who gave up a single and a walk and then an RBI single to Nunez. 

Virginia got back within a run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a solo home run to left-center field by Ethan Anderson, his 15th homer of the season. 

Touch 'em all, EA!#GoHoos | #MCWS | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/KRFhFWZhtD

— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 18, 2023

The Horned Frogs responded in the top of the eighth and pushed their lead back to two runs at 4-2 behind an RBI double from Austin Davis. TCU nearly blew the game open with runners on first and third, but Bradley Hodges came in and struck out Taylor to end the inning. 

The Cavaliers again got themselves back within a run in the bottom of the eighth as Harrison Didawick hit a leadoff single, stole second base, moved to third on a sacrifice fly, and then scored on an RBI ground out from Ethan O'Donnell. That made the score 4-3 heading to the ninth inning. 

TCU nearly added some late insurance with a runner in scoring position in the top of the ninth, but Jay Woolfolk entered the game and retired the next two batters to strand a runner at second base, sending the game to the bottom of the ninth, where the Cavaliers had three outs to try to save their season. 

TCU reliever Ben Abeldt struck out Kyle Teel and got Ethan Anderson to ground out to shortstop to put the Hoos down to their final out. Casey Saucke kept things alive with a single to center field and took advantage of an error by Nunez in center to reach second base. Undeterred by the game pressure, Abeldt struck out Anthony Stephan swinging to end the game. 

TCU advances to face the loser of Florida vs. Oral Roberts in another elimination game on Tuesday. For the Cavaliers, though, their season has come to an end. Virginia finishes the season 50-15 overall after going 0-2 at the 2023 College World Series. 

The loss also likely brings to an end the UVA careers of Kyle Teel and Jake Gelof, who are projected to be high selections in the MLB Draft. Teel, Gelof, and the graduating seniors leave a lasting legacy at Virginia, ending their careers by leading the program to its sixth appearance in the College World Series. 

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