The Virginia baseball team got out to a slow start, but they exploded in one big inning. After driving in six runs in the seventh, the Cavaliers blew out Dayton 10-3 to improve their record to 16-4 on the season.
"It was a great win," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "Dayton has a good baseball program, they ran some good arms out there and I knew that they were going to be a good team."
This is not to say the whole game was a blowout, however. Virginia starting pitcher Pat McAnaney struggled at times in the game, going five and two-thirds innings, allowing five hits, three runs and three walks. McAnaney left with the Cavaliers up only 4-3. Pitcher Michael Schwimer, however, halted any chance of a Flyer rally, striking out Dayton third baseman Joe McSoley to end the sixth. Schwimer went on to pitch the seventh inning, where he struck out two and did not allow a hit.
Schwimer's "really emerged," O'Connor said. "He's been a really bright spot for us. It's been a complete 180-degree turn from last year. He's got all kinds of ability and it's just been a matter of him going out there and doing well."
What blew the game wide open for the Cavaliers was a solid performance in the seventh inning. After shortstop Greg Miclat and outfielder Brandon Marsh bunted their way on base, first baseman Sean Doolittle walked and second baseman David Adams hit a two-RBI single to put the Cavaliers up 6-3. The Cavaliers went on to score four more runs in the bottom of the seventh, aided by two of Dayton's errors in that inning. Dayton's defense was shaky all game, committing five errors and causing five runs to be unearned.
"Greg Miclat can put so much pressure on you," O'Connor said. "When you do things like that, when you have speed that shows up every day, you can put pressure on a ball club to execute defensively."
Adams had a big game for the Cavaliers, going 3-5 from the plate, driving in three runs and scoring one run himself. His position as cleanup batter today was a change from his normal fifth spot.
"It doesn't really matter what spot I am in," Adams said. "As long as I go out there and help the team it's all good."
The other relievers for the Cavaliers closed the door on the Dayton offense. Pitchers Shooter Hunt and Andrew Carraway pitched the last two innings, allowing only one hit and zero runs while striking out three batters and walking none.
"I think everyone has been throwing pretty well," McAnaney said. "Even when the score got a little big at the end they still came in like it was a 1-0 ball game and didn't allow them any chances to get back in the ball game."
Even though they have just started ACC play, Virginia did not show signs of taking this game lightly.
"You go through so much emotion on these ACC weekends," O'Connor said. "You get so fired up and you get fearful as a coach for a letdown, but we came ready to play today for the most part."
Virginia will return to ACC play this weekend for their second straight ACC series. The Cavaliers will face a consensus top-five team when the Clemson Tigers roll into town this weekend for a set of three games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
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