No. 20 Miami Comes Up Short at No. 7 Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The 20th-ranked University of Miami baseball team fell to the seventh-ranked Virginia Cavaliers, 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
“Against good teams like this, and Virginia has a very good team, we gave them too many outs,” Miami head coach Gino DiMare said. “Defensively, we’re not making plays the way we need to make plays. And yet, it’s a one-run game and we have a chance to win the game with one swing of the bat. Unfortunately, we haven’t played too well these two games.”
Miami (20-11, 8-6 ACC) put the tying run on base in each of the final four frames but couldn’t find a clutch hit to pull off the comeback win.
Virginia left-hander Jake Berry tossed two scoreless innings in relief before closer Jay Woolfolk (4) recorded the final three outs to secure the series for the Cavaliers (27-4, 10-4 ACC).
Third baseman Jake Gelof pushed the hometown Hoos ahead with a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top half, Miami shortstop Dominic Pitelli beat out an infield single to level the score, 5-5.
The Hurricanes led twice throughout the contest, holding a 2-0 advantage in the first and a 4-3 cushion in the fourth, but the Cavaliers responded.
Following Edgardo Villegas’ two-run homer in the first, Virginia answered with a pair of its own in the bottom half.
Then, when Miami jumped back in front after Dorian Gonzalez, Jr.’s RBI groundout, UVA second baseman Henry Godbout plated two with a double.
Sophomore southpaw Rafe Schlesinger (1-1) picked up the loss, surrendering a run across one inning of work.
Virginia lefty Angelo Tonas (3-0) earned the win, retiring all three batters he faced in the sixth.
The Hurricanes and Cavaliers wrap up the series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Disharoon Park.
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