With the series win already clinched after winning the two previous games, No. 10 Virginia baseball looked to earn a sweep when it took on Dartmouth Sunday. For the third straight game, dominant hitting and a stellar bullpen performance powered the Cavaliers (7-3, 0-0 ACC) to victory — this time by a score of 13-3.
The offense was a balanced effort all around, but junior catcher Trey Wells and freshman outfielder James Nunnallee stood out the most. Wells had two extra base hits, including a triple down the right field line that scored two runs. Nunnallee was also exceptional, recording a hit in all five of his at-bats. While the pair are not everyday staples of the Virginia lineup, their contributions highlight how deep the Cavaliers are at the plate.
“I’m really impressed with [Wells]. He’s not only catching really well, but he’s aggressive at the plate and gets his money’s worth,” Coach Brian O’Connor said. “He had a ball down the right field line, hooked a ball down the left field line, in this young season he’s already got some big hits for us.”
On the defensive side, though, both starting pitchers struggled to get things going. Sophomore pitcher Bryson Moore missed the strike zone early and often on the mound for Virginia. His lone inning consisted of consecutive walks before allowing a hit to load the bases. Dartmouth then scored two when sophomore catcher A.J. DeMastrie hit a bloop single to left field. O’Connor would elect to end Moore’s day after just 0.2 innings.
The Big Green (0-6, 0-0 Ivy League) relied on sophomore pitcher Nate Isler to start on the mound. While he started off strong, allowing just one hit in the first two innings, he had rough patches later on in his start. Isler finished with six earned runs and two strikeouts across 4.2 innings.
Many of those runs occurred in the third inning, when the Cavaliers broke the game open. A home run from sophomore infielder Eric Becker to left-center field tied the game up at two runs apiece. Junior infielder Henry Godbout followed it up with a single before Didawick got on base with a walk. Junior catcher Trey Wells then unloaded the bases with a triple down the right field line to make it 4-2, which was the first triple of the season for Virginia.
Freshman designated hitter Chone James then reached base on a throwing error from sophomore infielder Camden Rush. This scored Wells and made the game 5-2 in favor of the Cavaliers.
The fifth inning was another big one, and it was the end for Isler as the Virginia offense stayed hot. Singles from junior outfielder Aidan Teel and sophomore infielder Henry Ford opened the inning and a wild pitch put both into scoring position. James then got his first hit of the day with a line drive to right-center field which scored two runs and extended the Cavalier lead to five. Even after Isler left the game, Virginia added a run when Nunnallee singled James in.
The seventh inning was icing on the cake for the Cavaliers. A Wells double started the inning off strong before Nunnallee drove him in. From here, poor pitching from freshman Kyle Klaric-Shell allowed two Virginia players to reach via walks. Godbout drove two runners in with a single, and the inning ended at 11-3.
The Cavalier offense, clearly, has finally returned to form in this series. Virginia averaged over 11 runs per game against Dartmouth — a significant uptick from prior performances.
Additionally, eight players got hits in the game, which has been a theme of the series. The lineup has been getting hits consistently now, which should serve them well when ACC play starts.
“This is a big weekend for our team. We had a lot of people step up which is good, when your offense is showing up and give guys opportunities, it’s nice,” Wells said. “Using this weekend as a confidence booster for everyone to move forward will be huge.”
Following that boost of confidence, the Cavaliers continue their homestand Tuesday when they take on William & Mary. First pitch will be at 3:00 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ACCNX. Junior pitcher Evan Blanco is slated to make his second start of the season for Virginia, and will be on a less-strict pitch count after he was restricted in his 2025 debut last Tuesday. Blanco, a star pitcher, should elevate an already solid season from the Cavalier arms.
That solid campaign, notably, includes the bullpen. Sunday, graduate pitcher Matt Lanzendorfer was dominant after he replaced Moore, striking out six across 3.1 innings while giving up just one hit. In total, the Virginia bullpen threw 8.1 innings but allowed just five hits and one run. The Cavaliers have notoriously had pitching problems in previous years, but consistent solid performances from a variety of arms may help Virginia overcome this stigma.
Also of note, the freshman class looked outstanding Sunday. The freshmen that got at-bats for the Cavaliers combined for seven hits and seven RBI in this game, and looked very confident whenever they stepped in the batter's box. It is clear the future is bright for Virginia baseball.
“I think we have one of the most talented classes to ever come in here,” Nunnallee said. “We’re all really young but we’re hard workers, we’re eager for the opportunity and getting to see [the guys] do their thing is awesome. I think the future is bright.”
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