Move over, Todd Billet. Scott Headd wants in.
For the second time in three games against Seton Hall, senior catcher Scott Headd delivered a walkoff RBI in the bottom on the ninth. In a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Davenport Field on Sunday, Headd knocked a bases-loaded, two-out line drive to left field to cap a two-run rally, carrying Virginia (9-1) to a 4-3 victory.
Senior Joe Koshansky (2-0) delivered another solid outing, throwing seven strong innings of six-hit baseball. Three earned runs, however, left him on the losing end of the pitchers' duel with Seton Hall's Mike Santmyer, who lasted two-thirds of an inning less than Koshansky, but held the Cavaliers to just five hits and one unearned run. Virginia closer Canon Hickman shut down the Pirates in the last two innings, giving his team a chance to come back from down two runs in the eighth.
Freshman first baseman Josh Darby cut the lead to 3-2 in the eighth, when he drove home left fielder Matt Dunn from second on a no-out single.
Seton Hall head coach Rob Sheppard tried to stop the bleeding with a fresh arm before it got out of control. Freshman Tim Dexter, a towering presence on the mound at 6'6", was called upon to hold the one-run lead with six outs to play. He failed to rise to the challenge.
Headd advanced Darby to second with a sacrifice bunt, and pinch runner Tim Henry replaced Darby as the tying run in scoring position, with only one out.
Pinch hitter Tom Hagan was hit by a pitch on the back of the head, and the Cavaliers then converted on a double-steal to allow freshman Mike Mitchell an opportunity to take the lead with one swing of the bat. But a heads up play by Seton Hall third baseman Joey Scott tricked Henry into thinking the ball had been thrown into left field, and Henry was thrown out easily as he dashed toward home trying to tie the game.
The play was a crippling blow to Virginia's rally, as Mitchell then grounded out to short on a play that ended the inning but could have tied the game had Henry remained on third.
"Everybody messes up," Dunn said. "The difference between a championship team and a mediocre team is the people who pick you up."
In the ninth, it took a platoon of Cavaliers, but Henry's teammates picked him up. Senior right fielder Matt Street, second on the team in on-base percentage, did what a leadoff hitter should do -- got on base. The Cavaliers' aggressiveness then threw them a bone. On a hit-and-run, junior Mark Reynolds hit a routine grounder to short. Only, Pirate shortstop Santiago Chi had hustled over to second to cover the throw aiming to gun down Street, and the ball rolled into left field to give the Cavaliers runners on first and third with no one out. Sophomore Ryan Zimmerman then tied the game with a single to left, and the momentum had entirely shifted to the team in white.
Koshansky and Henry had chances to play the hero, but both hit balls to inopportune spots in the infield, and Headd strolled to the plate with a bases-loaded, two-out, tie-game situation.
"I had a lucky weekend, let's put it that way," Headd said. The first game "made me a little more comfortable at the plate. Today was a struggle all game, but we came through in the end."
Freshman picther Casey Lambert logged his first collegiate win in a relief appearance during Friday's 3-2 thriller, and Andrew Dobies solidified his spot in the starting rotation with six innings and one run.
Saturday's game was a blowout -- the Cavaliers scored in six of their eight offensive innings and sailed to a 17-1 victory. Sophomore Matt Avery made a statement on the hill, striking out eight Pirates in six innings, while allowing only six hits and a run.
Read More
Katie Grimes posts historic debut as women’s swimming and diving annihilates Virginia Tech
By Xander Tilock | 1 hours agoGrimes broke out as a new superstar for Coach Todd DeSorbo's squad.
Women’s basketball displays stingy defense, but falls short versus No. 14 Duke
By Xander Tilock | 7 hours agoThe Cavaliers nearly conquered a ranked rival but could not generate consistent offense.
You cannot say money is the problem for Virginia football
By Peter Kriebel | 13 hours agoMoney, after all, is just one aspect of a winning program.
