Two weeks have passed since junior pitcher Will Roberts gave up a hit. Tonight, the Virginia right-hander will take the mound again against Radford in his first start since tossing a perfect game last Tuesday.
"It'll be interesting to see how the whole team reacts," senior pitcher Corey Hunt said. "We'll be a little bit excited and a little bit nervous to see him back out there ... but we'll turn the page as soon as he throws the first pitch and throws a strike for us."
Robert's perfect game was just the 19th in NCAA history and netted him Collegiate National Player of the Week honors. His performance against George Washington was an exceptional one, but also not a total aberration for the junior. After posting a respectable, but unremarkable, 3.99 ERA during his first two seasons at Virginia, Roberts is in the midst of a breakout year. The Richmond, Va. native currently leads the staff with a 1.13 ERA.
"This is the Will Roberts that we've been looking for since we recruited him," O'Connor said last Tuesday. "He's been really good at times during his first two years, but he has really put it together this year. He's been 'Mr. Consistent' for us all year long."
Robert's consistency has translated into a flawless 5-0 record, and after last Tuesday's outing, he may be a candidate to start weekend games against Virginia's generally tougher conference foes.\n"He'll remain competitive with those guys that are pitching on the weekend," O'Connor said. "The great thing about our team is that they push each other and demand the best out of each other."
For now, Roberts remains as the rotation's midweek pitcher, and although he may not face ACC opponents, his wins are critical for a team with national title aspirations.
"These midweek games are important, they all count the same," O'Connor said. "He's just doing the job for his team week in and week out. He's been really determined to give it his best every time out, and it certainly shows."
Roberts may find a midweek matchup against Radford (16-11, 2-4 Big South) to be daunting as the Cavaliers (28-2, 11-1 ACC) are aware that the Highlanders are not to be taken lightly. "I actually played with a few guys in high school," junior pitcher Scott Silverstein said. They have a good club, a lot of athletic guys, and they always put up a fight." Junior left fielder Matt Hillsinger highlights the Highlanders' athletic roster as both a threat from the plate and on the bases. Hillsinger leads the team with a .414 average and five home runs, as well as 19 stolen bags. He has played a crucial role in helping Radford down defending SEC West champions Auburn, ACC squad Wake Forest and, most recently, Virginia Tech.
Virginia also found success recently against the Hokies, sweeping its rivals at Blacksburg last weekend.
"We feel pretty good," Silverstein said. "Anytime you win in a series, especially one in conference, is a pretty good accomplishment."
The Cavaliers handily outscored Virginia Tech by a 37-8 margin, including an 18-run performance Friday evening. Junior third baseman Steven Proscia drove in five runners during that contest, adding to his team-high 32 RBIs.
But despite the fact that Virginia is coming off an explosive weekend offensively, all eyes will look to the mound tonight, waiting to see if Roberts will allow his first base-runner in more than two weeks.
"It'll be funny, because it doesn't happen that often," Hunt said.
Roberts' first pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
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