After splitting the first two games of the series with Wake Forest, Virginia's senior left-hander Mike Ballard took the mound for the Cavaliers looking to salvage a series victory for Virginia with a win over the Demon Deacons in Sunday afternoon's rubber match. Ballard accomplished his mission, pitching a complete game and striking out eight as Virginia sailed to an easy 10-2 win at Davenport Field.
"Mike Ballard was a tremendous leader today," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "We take a lot of pride in these Sunday ball games and he came out and was just in complete control the entire day. Mike did a tremendous job in attacking their hitters."
Ballard improved his record to 4-1 and surrendered only one earned run to drop his earned run average to 2.32. The Virginia Beach native did not walk a single Wake Forest hitter.
The Cavaliers (22-5, 6-3 ACC) jumped all over Wake Forest starting pitcher Tyler Smith in the bottom of the first inning, scoring five runs before recording an out. Junior center fielder Tim Henry led off the inning with a double to right field. Smith then walked Virginia's leading hitter, Brandon Marsh, which brought sophomore first baseman Sean Doolittle to the plate. Doolittle put Virginia on the scoreboard by lashing a single to right field that scored Henry from second. Freshman David Adams dug into the batter's box and worked the count full to 3-2 before depositing a Smith offering just over the wall in left-center field for a three-run homer. Adams leads the Cavaliers with four home runs, all of which, coincidentally, have come on 3-2 counts. Adams would finish the game 3-4 with two runs scored.
"I didn't think it was going out at first," Adams said of his blast. "I thought I just had a pop-up. But good things happen when you work hard and keep battling at the plate."
Sophomore left fielder Brandon Guyer followed Adams by hitting a ball off the bottom of the left-center field scoreboard to give Virginia a 5-0 lead. Guyer is Virginia's leading RBI man, with 32 to his credit.
"Any time your offense can go out and put five runs on the board early it makes it a lot easier for you out there on the mound," Ballard said. "It allows you to challenge guys more."
Smith lasted only one inning for Wake Forest before being relieved by Kip Byrum. Byrum was replaced by Kyle Young in the fourth inning when Virginia loaded the bases with no one out. Young, however, got Marsh to line out to right field and induced Doolittle to ground into an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Virginia once again loaded the bases with no outs and this time the Cavaliers capitalized. Freshman third baseman Jeremy Farrell increased Virginia's lead to 7-0 with a two-run single. Junior catcher Beau Seabury then executed a suicide squeeze bunt to score Hagans, who had walked earlier in the inning.
Virginia won Friday evening's series opener 3-2 as Doolittle struck out 10 over six and two-thirds innings of work. Saturday afternoon, the Cavaliers fell behind 3-0 before rallying to close the deficit to one run. Virginia, however, could not come all the way back and fell 3-2.
The Cavaliers now face midweek home games against Coppin State and Norfolk State before opening up a road trip that includes three games at N.C. State, one at Richmond and three at Duke.
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