The Virginia baseball team will visit Chapel Hill this weekend to play a three-game series against North Carolina.
As expected, the Cavaliers (21-2, 5-2 ACC), coming off two losses to Miami but still considered one of the nation’s top 25 teams, beat Towson Tuesday 13-4 and Wednesday 7-5. The team showed less energy during the second victory, though, allowing the Tigers to score two runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Against No. 5 North Carolina, Virginia must stay sharp in all facets of its game. Although the Tar Heels (18-5, 5-3 ACC) have struggled during the past week, the Cavaliers cannot take them lightly. The Tar Heels had a 30-6 record in Chapel Hill last season and are still dangerous at home.
“North Carolina’s a great team,” sophomore centerfielder Jarrett Parker said.
Coming off its first series loss since an April 2007 series against Duke — which had not taken a series from North Carolina since 2001 — the Tar Heels will be eager to return to conference competition. North Carolina also dropped a 2-1 game against Charlotte Wednesday and will be looking for a win.
Coach Brian O’Connor said each team’s mental decisions, both offensive and defensive, could make or break the Cavaliers’ chances against the Tar Heels.
“When it’s two good baseball teams, it’s those little things that are the difference between winning and losing,” O’Connor said.
Averaging an impressive 10.2 runs per game, Virginia is playing better offensively this season than North Carolina. The Tar Heels, however, possess a tough pitching staff with a combined earned run average of only 3.03.
Virginia’s success, then, may come down to how well its starting pitchers can bounce back from a lackluster series against Miami. Even freshman lefthander Danny Hultzen, who averages 1.4 strikeouts per inning and tallied the only win against the Hurricanes, struggled slightly last weekend. Both freshman righthander Will Roberts and senior righthander Andrew Carraway, meanwhile, were overpowered by Hurricane hitters. To defeat the Tar Heels, Virginia needs to be able to count on Hultzen, Roberts and Carraway to keep men off base.
“A lot of guys are gonna have to step up,” Parker said. “We’re really gonna have to come together.”
The Cavaliers also hope to see sophomore rightfielder Dan Grovatt emerge from his week-long slump. Grovatt, who still leads the team in hitting with a .414 batting average, will seek to improve on his 2 for 15 combined batting performance since last Friday’s game against Miami. O’Connor rested Grovatt Wednesday against Towson to give the star outfielder time to recuperate.
Another player the Cavaliers will be counting on is Parker, whose .402 average is second best on the team. As the Cavaliers’ leader-off batter, Parker will look to take advantage of his team-high .509 on-base percentage and give Virginia’s sluggers chances to drive in runs.
One of those batters with the potential to plate Parker is sophomore second baseman Phil Gosselin, who will look to keep putting up big numbers for the Cavaliers. Since last Friday, he’s driven in nine runs and notched eight hits in 19 plate appearances.
Virginia’s game Friday begins at 7 p.m.
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