What a difference one week and, indeed, one inning, can make. Last time the Cavaliers faced off against in-state rival Old Dominion, they blew a five-run lead to lose 9-6. This time, in a complete reversal, the Cavaliers remained scoreless for the first three innings before scoring once in the fourth, twice in the sixth and seventh, and three times in the eighth on a play that left Monarch third basemen Justin Gregula looking through his legs to find out where the ball had gone. Virginia took the game 8-0.
The first three innings were runless pitching battle's between Virginia first year Robert Poutier and Old Dominion junior Dana Arrowood. It was Poutier's first start at the mound and only his second time on the mound for Virginia -- in his first appearance on the mound, Poutier pitched the last inning against Bucknell.
"We were looking at some different options for our midweek starts," Virgina coach Brian O'Connor said. "It was between Robert and a couple of other guys, and this weekend, when he did get his opportunity, he out-pitched them. He earned it. He deserved it."
Although he was taken out midway through the fifth inning, Poutier certainly put in a good game, working out of a situation in the first inning in which bases were loaded with no outs.
"Robert Poutier has what we call electric stuff," O'Connor said. "It's just a matter of him being able to channel it to throw strikes. He's going to really be a great one here. It's going to take him some time to put it together, but he's going to have a really good career."
Scott Morganthaler took over for Poutier midway through the fifth inning and left the Monarchs unable to score. Meanwhile, Virginia had scored in the fourth when left fielder Thomas Hagan hit a barely-fair ball that almost grazed third base. Hagan was subsequently hit in by catcher Scott Head.
The Cavaliers took off from there, but suffered a minor setback in the top of the sixth when first baseman Josh Darby -- who did a split in the third inning to make a play at first -- was hurt and taken out of the game after colliding with a runner. Hagan took over at fist base while Joe Florio covered his position in left field.
Virginia rallied back in the bottom of the sixth when Hagan found a hole behind second to hit in Doolittle and Florio, who had been on second and third. In the bottom of the seventh, short stop Mike Campagna found the same hole behind second to get on base. Campagna stole second and was bunted to third by catcher Kyle Werman before being hit home by right fielder Matt Street. Centerfielder Tim Henry was then batted in by third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
As the Cavaliers turned up the heat, the Monarchs began to collapse under pressure, making three errors in the bottom of the eighth and allowing Virginia three runs.
The difference between this week's game and last week's game against Old Dominion was startling.
"Last Wednesday was our first really good test -- good pitching, good arms and a good team," Hagain said. "So we had that as a background today, and we just came out hard, we started off kind of slow, but down the stretch, we took it."
Back on their home turf again yesterday, Virginia aimed to prove that there really is no place like home and did just that.
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