It was uncharacteristically cold, blustery day in Round Rock, Texas. That set the tone for another slow start for No. 2 Virginia baseball, which fell behind early against Minnesota. With the threat of another deflating loss just over the horizon, junior outfielder Aidan Teel came through for the Cavaliers — recording three runs batted in and playing exceptional outfield defense. Teel proved to be the difference in the 4-2 victory over the Golden Gophers (1-4, 0-0 Big Ten) Saturday afternoon.
“Offense is tough to come by in this weather for sure,” Coach Brian O’Connor said. “Good to bounce back after a tough loss last night against a really good Oregon State club.”
Searching for an offensive jumpstart, O’Connor made some tweaks to the lineup. Freshman infielder Jackson Sirois took over at third base, replacing junior infielder Luke Hanson. O’Connor also swapped out graduate catcher Jacob Ference. In his place, junior catcher Trey Wells — a transfer from Wayne State College — got the start, his first at the Division I level.
Also of note, sophomore pitcher Bryson Moore turned in another strong start, posting five innings of two-run ball. Moore once again dominated Minnesota hitters with his fastball-curveball combination, only running into major trouble in the Golden Gophers’ two-run fourth inning. Moore has been a bright spot thus far this season, showing ace potential in both of his starts and putting his team in a winning position.
For Minnesota, sophomore pitcher Kyle Remington had no trouble quelling the Virginia bats through the first three innings. In need of a quick response to the Gophers’ 2-0 lead, it was Teel who stepped up in the bottom half of the fourth inning — driving in sophomore first baseman Henry Ford with a double for his first RBI of the season.
Remington ended the threat there, but Teel continued to produce against the righty. The combination of Ford and Teel struck again in the bottom of the sixth, as Ford reached base on a single and Teel promptly smashed a two-run home run to give the Cavaliers their first lead of the game.
“[Aidan Teel] brings energy and enthusiasm to our ballclub,” O’Connor said. “It’s amazing, when you are a positive and energetic person, how the game can reward you, and Aidan was a perfect example of that.”
One inning later, Wells added another run with a solo shot, the first RBI of his Division I career. Wells got the start thanks to O’Connor’s lineup changes, which were vindicated by Wells’ production in his first Virginia start. Alongside Teel, it was Wells who drove the offense, going 2-3 with a double and a home run — his first two hits as a Cavalier.
More critical than the offense was the continued success of the pitching staff. Moore’s strong start put Virginia in a position to win with limited offensive production, and after the fourth inning, Moore and a pair of bullpen arms silenced the Golden Gophers. Graduate pitcher Matt Lanzendorfer pitched two innings in relief of Moore and earned the win. Lanzendorfer gave the Minnesota hitters fits with his slider, forcing errant swings and recording five of his six outs via the strikeout. The lefty has proven himself to be a key piece of a bullpen still seeking consistency from its arms.
Right alongside Lanzendorfer was junior pitcher Ryan Osinski, who pitched the Cavaliers’ final two innings and earned his first save of the season. Osinski did not carve the Golden Gophers with the same efficiency as Lanzendorfer — allowing three walks and a hit in his two innings — but he avoided hard contact and dealt two scoreless innings nevertheless, putting Virginia back in the win column.
In addition to the success found by Teel and Wells, Ford also seemed to find his rhythm. The Charlottesville native was hitting just .200 entering the game, but a 2-4 showing featuring a well-struck double gives the impression that Ford is returning to form.
Around Ford, though, concerns remain about several key pieces of the lineup — most importantly junior outfielder Harrison Didawick, who went 0-3 in Saturday’s game. Didawick went cold in last year’s playoff run and seemingly has not regained the offensive prowess that put him in a tie for Virginia’s single-season home run record, sporting a .133 batting average entering Saturday. Returning Didawick to his 2024 form will be a priority for the Cavalier coaches in the coming weeks.
It would be easy for a Virginia team that fosters such high expectations to breed similar discontent with its slow start thus far. After the win, O’Connor emphasized the difficult nature of baseball regardless of expectations and the importance of patience.
“Everyone thinks… that the wins should just happen, and it does not work that way,” O’Connor said. “Every team has to learn what they need to do to give themselves the best chance to win, and part of that is their competitive spirit.
Sunday brings Virginia’s final game at the Karbach Round Rock Classic, coming at 5:00 p.m. versus Oklahoma. Freshman pitcher Tomas Valincius will likely take the mound for his second start of the season following a sterling performance Monday against Rice, something Virginia fans can enjoy in advance of the Cavaliers’ home opener Tuesday versus Virginia Military Institute. Heading into non-invitational play, Virginia needs to take Sunday as an opportunity to find its groove at the plate and head back home with confidence.
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