DURHAM, N.C.-After surrendering only two earned runs in eight innings Saturday at Duke, Kevin Shrout, Virginia baseball's 6-foot-2 righthander, said his team is talented enough to win 35 games.
But then come the conditionals: only if the offense can play like it did in two drubbings of the Blue Devils; only if the pitching staff can last well into the late innings; and only if the team can stay consistent.
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Though Shrout, lefthander Brandon Creswell and a side order of hot bats led Virginia to a 10-4 win Friday and a 12-3 victory Saturday, the Cavs faltered yesterday, losing 10-1.
"Coming into this series, we were expecting to sweep them," Shrout said.
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Before yesterday, Virginia played nearly flawless baseball against the struggling Blue Devils. After putting together a five-run fifth to take the win Friday, the entire Virginia squad got into the mix Saturday. Eight Cavaliers registered hits, including shortstop Tim LaVigne, who went 5-for-5 with three runs scored. Senior Luis Giraldo and freshman Ben Himes both homered for the second time in the series.
"Offensively, we did some nice things," Virginia coach Dennis Womack said. "I don't think there's a whole lot you can feel bad about."
Yesterday, that offense vanished, as the Cavs left eight men on base in a complete game victory by Duke's Ryan Caradonna.
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