Virginia baseball finished off a sweep of Dartmouth Sunday afternoon, extending its winning streak to five games. The Cavaliers (9-3, 0-0 ACC), powered by an explosive offensive onslaught and a dominant pitching effort, outmatched the Big Green (2-5, 0-0 Ivy League) to win all three games.
Game 1 - Virginia 20, Dartmouth 1
In their most dominant effort of the series in every aspect, the Cavaliers controlled the game from the opening pitch. Junior pitcher Griff McGarry turned in a gem, striking out 12 batters in just six innings of work and allowing only one hit in the process. McGarry has solidified his role as the Cavaliers number one ace on the pitching staff, allowing just two earned runs in 16 innings over three starts and posting 26 strikeouts.
Virginia’s offense had its best game of the season, recording 22 hits in total with each batter recording at least one hit. The Cavaliers infield trio of sophomore shortstop Nic Kent, freshman second baseman Max Cotier and sophomore third baseman Zack Gelof led the way, recording 10 hits and driving in eight runs.
After McGarry made quick work of the Big Green in the top of the first inning, the Cavalier offense had no problem putting up run support, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back RBI doubles from junior outfielder Brendan Rivoli and Gelof put the Cavaliers up 2-0, before junior designated hitter Christian Hlinka ripped a two-out, two-RBI single to extend the lead to four.
Virginia scored one run in each of the next two innings to extend the lead to nine runs heading into the fourth inning. After a scoreless fourth inning, Kent ripped his first home run of the season to give the Cavaliers a 10-0 advantage in the bottom of the fifth.
After Dartmouth stole a run from the Cavaliers in the top of the seventh, freshman outfielder Chris Newell officially put the game on ice with a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh, as the Cavaliers ended the seventh inning up 20-1.
Neither team would score in the eighth and ninth innings, sealing the first 20-run performance by Virginia since a 20-7 win over Wagner in 2016.
Game 2 - Virginia 12, Dartmouth 4
The Cavaliers continued to dominate in the second game of the series, with sophomore pitcher Mike Vasil only allowing two earned runs in six innings on the mound and another offensive flurry.
After Vasil put down the Big Green in the top of the first inning, Gelof got the Cavaliers on the board in fashion. The third baseman popped a fly ball to the warning track for what seemed to be a sure out, but with help from the wind and sun, the ball dropped, and Gelof rounded the bases for an inside the park home run.
Dartmouth would tie the game on an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth, but once again the Cavalier offense had a response. In the bottom of the fourth, Hlinka crushed his fourth home run of the season, as the Cavaliers extended their lead to two runs.
The Cavaliers upped their advantage to 5-1, after an RBI single by senior Logan Michaels in the bottom of the fifth, but the Big Green clawed their way back, cutting their deficit to one in the seventh inning. After Gelof added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh to make the game 6-4, Newell contributed a bases clearing triple in a six-run eighth inning for the Cavaliers, widening their lead to 12-4.
On the defensive side, relief pitchers in junior Andrew Abbott and senior Steven Schoch closed out the game for the Cavaliers, with Schoch striking the side in the ninth inning as Virginia held off an early Dartmouth surge to win 12-4.
Game 3 - Virginia 4, Dartmouth 3
While it appeared that Virginia would once again punch Dartmouth in the mouth after an onslaught in the first two games, the Big Green responded well, pushing the Cavaliers in a tight contest.
The Big Green out hit the Cavaliers 9-5, but freshman pitcher Nate Savino kept Dartmouth at bay, allowing one earned run in the opening four innings of the game and preventing the Dartmouth offense from making any major splashes.
Savino put the Big Green down in order in the top of the first inning, paving the way for Cotier’s solo home run in the bottom of the first to open up a 1-0 lead for the Cavaliers. Savino was able to fan two batters in the following inning but allowed the Big Green to get on the board with an RBI double to make the game 1-1.
Savino held strong from there on out, and the Cavaliers offense took advantage. Newell ripped an RBI double to right field, making the score 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
After the Cavaliers gave up the tying run in the top of the sixth, a sac-fly from Michaels proved to be the go-ahead run, and he proceeded to come home on a throwing error from Dartmouth to give Virginia a 4-2 lead.
Dartmouth scored in the seventh, threatening to take the lead, but Virginia’s dominant closers held off the Big Green in the eighth and ninth innings to seal the series sweep with a 4-3 win.
The Cavaliers will play their next game Tuesday at Disharoon Park. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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