They boast a .326 team batting average that would make the finest pitchers a little nervous. Their pitching staff is a fierce group of 12 who thrive off overpowering and baffling opposing hitters, as they have posted a low 2.87 ERA. They have a few who can send lasers to the fence and others who have perfected the art of the sacrifice bunt.
Surprisingly this is not a description of mighty No. 2 Florida State, but rather an adequate portrayal of the new-look 2003 Cavalier baseball team. Virginia travels to Tallahassee this weekend, poised to knock off one of the country's elite teams. They will face the Seminoles, to open ACC play, in a three-game weekend series.
The Cavaliers have built up a lot of momentum and confidence as they have won their past seven games. Their pitching has been dominant, and they have scored over 10 runs in each of the last three games. Virginia's recent success has led to high hopes for the upcoming series.
"It's nice to play good baseball and be confident," Virginia coach Dennis Womack said. "I think our guys are excited about going to Florida State. We're going down there with the attitude that we're going to win, not to play well but to go and win."
However, Florida State didn't get their No. 2 national ranking by doing nothing. The Seminoles currently are 21-2. They have a great combination of power hitters and crafty pitchers. Still, the Cavaliers and the Seminoles match up well on paper. Their team batting averages only are separated by .013, with Virginia holding the edge, and the Seminoles ERA bests the Cavalier's by only .53.
The Cavaliers are ready to play and are not intimidated by the Seminoles lofty rank.
"Our club should be pretty well prepared, because we've played a tough little old schedule early," Womack said. "Our team has seen a variety of pitching and some teams that can swing the bat pretty well."
Even though the entire Virginia team seems to be swinging a hot bat as of late, the Cavaliers key to success has been their pitching. Virginia will probably have difficulty keeping pace with Florida State if the games turn into high scoring slugfests. Therefore the Cavalier's will look to their reliable bullpen to stifle the Seminole bats.
"The pitching staff is very dominant right now," Junior southpaw Joe Koshansky said. "They're doing very well. It's the best I've seen it since I've been here. The relievers come in and it's lights out."
So far this season, Virginia has not faired well on the road, winning only two of seven road games. Virginia is, however, a very confident ball club right now.They believe they can beat any team on any field.
"We've seen a lot of good pitching this year," Koshansky said. "We're not going to see anything at Florida State we haven't already seen. If we go out there and do our job we'll come away with some victories."
This weekend Virginia has a great opportunity to extend their winning streak and start off ACC play with a bang.
Read More
ISTVAN: Tony Bennett left Virginia in a hole
By Ben Istvan | 5 hours agoHis decision to retire doomed this men's basketball season.
Football lands three additional transfers
By Peter Kriebel | 2 days agoOne common trait that stands out with this most recent batch of transfers is size.
