Virginia used great pitching, a strong performance from its freshmen and a little bit of luck to complete a four-game sweep of Lehigh (0-4). The No. 17 Cavaliers (4-0) defeated the Mountain Hawks 5-1, 4-1, 12-1 and 6-1, respectively.
The Virginia pitching staff was hot the whole weekend, allowing only four runs on 19 hits throughout the four games. Junior All-American Jacob Thompson started things off, allowing no runs and four hits in five innings during the first game Saturday while walking three and striking out six.
"I'd like to eliminate some of the needless walks that we've had, but for the first time out there in live competition, I thought we pitched very well," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "I thought [junior] Andrew Carraway and [senior] Pat McAnaney this weekend pitched exceptional."
McAnaney pitched the second game Saturday, allowing two hits and no runs in six innings. Carraway started Sunday's opener, also allowing no runs and two hits in six innings. Carraway additionally struck out eight and walked none.
Before the season began, O'Connor said McAnaney and Carraway were coming into the season as Virginia's two strongest pitchers.
Sunday, O'Connor brought in freshman Robert Morey with two on and no out in the fifth inning to relieve sophomore starter Jeff Lorick. In his first appearance at the plate, Morey allowed one run to score, and then got Virginia out of the tight jam and the inning.
"You don't usually, in the first weekend, like to put a freshman in that situation, but I've been really, really impressed with Robert Morey since he's been here," O'Connor said. "He's got a lot of poise and a lot of confidence in himself and it was a good situation for him to come in."
Morey was one of many freshmen who came out strong in his first weekend as a Cavalier. Freshman Dan Grovatt was three for six with two runs scored on the weekend.
"Over the course of these first 10 or 11 games, I'm going to try a bunch of different guys and see who the ones are that we can count on," O'Connor said. "Danny Grovatt definitely stepped up offensively and the great play he made in the first inning was very impressive."
Grovatt is in competition with freshman John Barr and sophomore Mark Riffee for left field. Senior Patrick Wingfield, who is currently sidelined with a wrist injury, will be in the running when he returns. Wingfield is listed as day-to-day.
Freshmen Jarrett Parker and David Coleman also made significant contributions as starting center fielder and right fielder, respectively. Coleman hits fourth in the Virginia lineup.
"We've known all along that it's a talented group of freshmen," O'Connor said. "When you mix that with the good veterans we have on the pitching staff and on our infield, you like what you see. Some of those freshmen stepped up in big situations this weekend; they're going to need to."
The Virginia offense was led mainly by juniors David Adams and Jeremy Farrell. Adams was six for 15 on the weekend, as the Cavaliers totaled 27 runs on the Lehigh pitching staff.
"I'm still rusty," Adams said. "There are a bunch of kinks to work out. I just got lucky a few times."
The Virginia batters hit .308 on the weekend, while the defense allowed four errors in the four games.
"As a group, we're just glad to get four wins out of the way," Adams said.
Virginia returns to action Tuesday to host Coppin State and Old Dominion Wednesday.
Read More
Virginia annihilated 41-14 in a must-win contest versus North Carolina
By Peter Kriebel | 21 hours agoJust about everything that could have gone wrong for Virginia football went wrong.
No. 24 women’s soccer not to be denied in late win over Clemson
By Sam Chun | YesterdayThe Cavaliers topped Clemson 1-0 in front of a packed out Klöckner Stadium.
Men’s soccer, totally discombobulated, capitulates early to No. 5 Pittsburgh
By Michael Liebermann | YesterdayPittsburgh set a program record for the quickest cluster of three goals.
