The Virginia baseball team will leave the pleasant Charlottesville spring behind when it suits up for a series in Miami, Fla. this weekend. It's far from a vacation for the Cavaliers, however; along with the Florida sun and beach breeze, they have to take on No. 1 Miami in a pivotal conference series.
The Cavaliers (32-12, 13-8 ACC) will look to slow down the Hurricanes (33-5, 17-2 ACC), who have demolished just about everything in their path so far this season. Miami is at the top of every national poll and received all but one first-place vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll.
Virginia, though, is no stranger to highly touted opponents. The ACC currently features three of the top four teams in the country, and every ACC team except Wake Forest has a winning record against non-conference foes.
The Cavaliers' most recent series against a top-5 opponent was April 4 to 6, when they were swept by Florida State. Despite losing the three games, the Cavaliers were able to remain competitive against the Seminoles. Two of the losses ended in walk-off fashion in 10 innings, the Cavaliers losing both 2-3.
The trip down Interstate 95 will be a homecoming for sophomore catcher Franco Valdes, who is from Miami. Despite batting near the bottom of the batting order, Valdes has made several clutch hits in recent weeks for the Cavaliers, including a double against Wake Forest April 20 that set up the game-winning run. Valdes had another productive offensive performance Wednesday against William & Mary, swatting a two-out, fourth-inning double that scored two runs, and almost repeating his late-game heroics in the ninth with the Cavaliers down by one. Leading off the inning with a fly ball to centerfield, only a diving catch from the Tribe center fielder put Valdes away.
Valdes said he was pursued by Miami after he played ball for a year at Broward Community College but instead decided to leave Florida and become a Cavalier. Nevertheless, he said he has great respect for Miami's accomplishments this season.
"They've had great pitching, and they've had great bats," Valdes said. "That's the game right there."
Virginia coach Brian O'Connor noted that it is unlikely a team would be able to earn a No. 1 ranking the country without being very well-rounded.
"We're going to have to go down there and play spectacular to have a chance to win," O'Connor said. "They're going to score runs. We've got to be able to ... stay with them offensively."
O'Connor confirmed that the team will use the new rotation incorporated against Wake Forest last weekend: Junior Jacob Thompson will stay in the Saturday slot and senior Pat McAnaney will open Friday. Junior Andrew Carraway remains the Sunday starter.
Thompson has struggled throughout the season but had an encouraging outing Tuesday against Georgetown in a rare weekday start, allowing no runs in three innings on only 28 pitches.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Jacob Thompson go out there on Saturday," O'Connor said. "I think he's getting closer to getting himself back on track."
Following this weekend series, Virginia's schedule does not get any easier. North Carolina, currently ranked second in the country, comes to Charlottesville May 9 to 11.
The three outings against the Hurricanes also mark the last away games for Virginia before the postseason begins with the ACC Tournament May 21 to 25.After this weekend, only the series against the Tar Heels, a series against Georgia Tech and a game apiece against Mount St. Mary's and VMI remain in the regular season.
The Cavaliers currently stand in third in the ACC Coastal Division, behind Miami and North Carolina.
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