After defeating Mississippi State in their second match of the Charlottesville Regional, No.12 seeded Virginia baseball faced the Bulldogs (40-23, 17-13 SEC) again Sunday for the Regional final and spot in the Super Regional. The Cavaliers (44-15, 18-12 ACC) were looking to build off the momentum created after the walk-off victory Saturday and delivered a thrilling 9-2 win fueled by a career-best performance from junior right-handed pitcher Jay Woolfolk.
Before the contest in Charlottesville began, important action occurred in Virginia’s partner regional, the Fayetteville Regional, hosted by No.5 seed Arkansas. A victory for the Cavaliers in their own regional had likely meant a daunting trip to Fayetteville, Ark. for a Super Regional, but the Razorbacks were eliminated by Southeast Missouri State in a 1 p.m. game upset. This was significant for Virginia, as it was now possible for them to host their own Super Regional if they advanced.
The top of the first inning put Virginia ahead after a leadoff double from junior infielder Griff O’Ferrall and a single from freshman infielder Henry Ford put the lead at 1-0. However, Mississippi State responded quickly with a two-run home run to take the lead and put the Cavaliers down 1-2. Woolfolk and company ultimately responded by surrendering just one run in the remaining eight innings.
A quiet second inning quickly gave way to the third, where Virginia seized an opportunity to take the lead once more. After O’Ferrall walked, graduate outfielder Bobby Whalen hit a single into center field. Ford then hit his second single of the night to advance O’Ferrall and Whalen, and an error from the Bulldogs scored O’Ferrall. Whalen then scored after a single from graduate catcher Jacob Ference, and the Cavaliers found themselves back up 3-2 in the middle of the third inning.
Both Woolfolk and Mississippi State junior pitcher Pico Kohn settled in after the opening bursts of scoring. No runs were scored in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings, but a thrilling pick-off at second base by Woolfolk and O’Ferrall brought excitement to Disharoon Park and added some life to the game. While the Bulldogs challenged the play, the call stood and gave Virginia a significant boost of momentum.
The seventh inning was on par with the previous three in terms of scoring, however Woolfolk added a strikeout to his seven total for the game — setting a new career-high mark.
The Bulldogs made a pitching change in the top of the eighth inning and put sophomore pitcher Gavin Black on the mound in an effort to spoil the potential threat of the Cavaliers’ offense. Black struck out Whalen and junior outfielder Casey Saucke before closing the top of the inning on a Ford ground-out.
At a critical juncture, Virginia’s defense continued to shine in the bottom of the eighth. After a foul out and a ground-out, sophomore outfielder Dakota Jordan hit a single to center field. Unfortunately for Mississippi State, Jordan was caught stealing second and the Cavaliers ended the eighth inning with no scoring threats.
Leading by just one run, Virginia blew the game open in the top of the ninth with a scoring frenzy. After a Ference strikeout, the Bulldogs surprisingly made another pitching change despite Black’s strong performance. Senior pitcher Tyler Davis entered and walked sophomore outfielder Harrison Didawick and sophomore infielder Henry Godbout before a single from junior utility player Ethan Anderson put the Cavaliers in a bases-loaded scenario.
Sophomore infielder Luke Hanson added a single and scored Didawick and Godbout in Virginia’s first scoring burst of the inning. The Cavaliers now had some insurance runs, leading 5-2. However, their scoring continued off the back of an O’Ferrall bunt, allowing Hanson and Anderson to round the bases after a throwing error from Mississippi State to extend the lead to 7-2.
The scoring run continued with singles from Whalen and Saucke, then, with the bases loaded, Virginia looked to Ford for a big play. However, Ford was struck out swinging by the Bulldogs after they had made yet another pitching change and put junior Karson Ligon on the mound in an effort to staunch the bleeding. With only one out remaining, the Cavaliers needed to step up on offense and find a way to make some more runs.
A wild pitch from Ligon on a missed slider gifted Virginia one more run, with Saucke and Whalen advancing to second and third and O’Ferrall making it home to deepen the lead 8-2. The final run of the game came from a second wild pitch miss by Ligon that allowed Whalen to score and added extra insurance for the Cavaliers with a 9-2 lead.
Ference and Didawick were subsequently walked, once again putting Virginia in a bases-loaded situation, but a fly-out from Godbout ended the top of the inning.
Woolfolk took the mound in the bottom of the ninth but allowed a hit, prompting the Cavaliers to bring in junior right-handed pitcher Chase Hungate. Woolfolk received a standing ovation on his walk back to the dugout after pitching a career-high eight innings and holding Mississippi State to two runs with seven strikeouts.
Hungate retired two batters, the first of which prompted a double play. With one last strikeout on the final play of the game, Virginia sealed the victory and its path to a Super Regional with a 9-2 final score.
With the third starting pitcher a mystery until about an hour before first pitch, Woolfolk stepped up majorly and got the job done. Coach Brian O’Connor commented on Woolfolk’s determination and positive attitude after a tough season on the mound, adding that his outing was one of the best he has seen in 21 years at Virginia.
“Overall I had extreme confidence in him,” O’Connor said. “The tough times that he’s been through this year grows some thick skin and prepares you for this opportunity.”
O’Connor later added that he has met with Woolfolk throughout the season to have conversations about what he needed to do to get back in the pitching lineup, mentioning how Woolfolk had the right attitude and approach. The end result was Sunday’s impressive performance and being named the All-Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
The Cavaliers had five players named to the All-Tournament Team — Ference, Godbout, freshman infielder Eric Becker, Woolfolk and freshman pitcher Matt Augustin. Becker and Augustin had standout performances in the Saturday match against the Bulldogs.
Virginia will face off next against Fayetteville Regional winner Kansas State. The Wildcats (35-24, 15-15 Big 12) defeated No. 5 national seed Arkansas and Southeast Missouri State to advance to the Super Regionals. The best-of-three Super Regional will be held at Disharoon Park next weekend, and game times and TV designations will be announced Tuesday.
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