As night fell on a picturesque spring day in Charlottesville, the Virginia baseball team, riding a 10-game winning streak, took the field to face the Keydets of the Virginia Military Institute. Behind the superb pitching of left-handed freshman hurler Pat McAnaney (2-0) and the bullpen, the Cavaliers extended their winning streak to 11 games with a narrow 2-1 victory heading into a weekend showdown in Chapel Hill with the No. 9 University of North Carolina Tar Heels (21-5, 5-2 ACC).
"This was Pat McAnaney's coming out party tonight," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "He's got unlimited potential. This was the best he has pitched since being here at Virginia."
Virginia (19-6, 4-3 ACC) grabbed an early lead in the first inning. Center fielder Tim Henry led off the inning and squared around to bunt on the first pitch. He was drilled by a high and tight fastball. Sophomore Ryan Hudson lay on the ground momentarily, sending a disturbing chill through the crowd. After being helped to his feet by several Virginia coaches, Hudson shook off the pain and took his base.
On the second pitch to the next batter, right fielder Matt Street, Hudson stole second base. Street then worked the count full and fouled off several pitches before pushing a groundball to the VMI first baseman. Robert Crumpler bobbled the grounder and Street was safe at first while Hudson advanced to third.Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman then got his team-leading 33rd RBI of the year when he grounded a double-play ball to the shortstop that scored Hudson.
For the next several innings, the game settled into a pitcher's duel between McAnaney and fellow lefty Mike Anton (0-3). Anton was pulled before the Cavaliers came to bat in the fifth inning in favor of right-handed sophomore Corey Bachman. Virginia quickly got to Bachman, with junior Mike Campagna leading off the inning by reaching first on a hit-by-pitch. Second baseman Kyle Werman punched a hard groundball through the right side of the infield to advance Campagna to third.
In similar fashion to the run scored by Hudson in the first inning, Campagna then scored on a double play groundball to the shortstop. Street lined a single to center field and promptly stole second on the first pitch to Zimmerman. Zimmerman walked to put runners on first and second. Brandon Guyer dug into the batter's box, but had the bat taken out of his hands when Street was gunned down by VMI catcher Stephen Parsons on a double steal attempt.
McAnaney was relieved in the seventh inning by Doolittle, who shifted to mound from first base. Junior Anthony Martinez replaced Doolittle. McAnaney finished with an exceptional pitching line. He threw six innings of shutout, three-hit baseball while striking out six Keydets.
"I located my fastball really well tonight which made a big difference," McAnaney said. "I was able throw outside with my curveball and come back with an inside fastball. I was hitting my spots."
Doolittle surrendered a run in the seventh on a fielder's choice groundball to the shortstop that scored VMI designated hitter John Baber, who had reached on a walk.
Sophomore closer Casey Lambert entered the game in the ninth inning and recorded his seventh save of the season. Lambert is likely to break the Virginia season save record which stands at eight, a mark he tied in his freshman campaign last season.
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