After picking up victories against Georgetown and James Madison, Virginia baseball will head down to Atlanta to face No. 24 Georgia Tech in a three-game series Friday through Sunday. While this may just seem like another road trip for the Cavaliers, the latest ACC series could determine the fate of the season.
Virginia enters its series with the Yellow Jackets with its season on the line. The Cavaliers currently sit just outside of the projected NCAA Tournament bracket, and this will be their final series against a ranked opponent in 2025. A series victory could be enough to push Virginia into the field, while a loss could be the final nail in the coffin of a brutally underwhelming season.
This weekend also has ACC Tournament implications. Currently, the Cavaliers sit in the ninth seed, meaning they would not earn a first round bye. However, a series victory could generate the momentum Virginia needs to reach a top-eight seed and earn a breather. Therefore, with so much riding on this three-game stretch, here is what to look for as the series nears.
Starting with the Cavaliers, they will need the bats to stay hot. Virginia averaged 12.5 runs per game in its two midweek affairs, and it appears as if a short break from conference play has given them some much-needed rest and a mental reset. Even before this week, the Cavaliers averaged over 10 runs per game against Pittsburgh and six runs per game against NC State. Overall team hitting has improved throughout the season and Virginia is due to prove it can still slug against a top team.
If this were to happen, the Cavalier offense will need a balanced effort throughout the batting order. While players like junior infielder Henry Godbout and sophomore utilityman Henry Ford have been consistently putting up strong performances, the bottom of the lineup has often gone flat in games where the Cavaliers face elite pitching. Whether it be young guys like freshman outfielder James Nunnallee or veterans like junior infielder Luke Hanson, Coach Brian O’Connor knows these end-of-lineup players will have to find ways to turn the batting lineup over if the team is to succeed.
“A lot of the time you see really good hitters in the nine slot … you turn the lineup over and get those guys back up,” O’Connor said. “That leads to potential big innings.”
Meanwhile, over on the mound, it will be all hands on deck for Virginia. All of the main pitchers for the Cavaliers are available for this series, although it is expected that the three to start will be senior Jay Woolfolk, junior Bradley Hodges and freshman Tomas Valincius. Junior Evan Blanco will also be available, likely from the bullpen.
With strong hitting likely to carry over from recent wins, the Virginia rotation might not have to throw for shutouts. However, Georgia Tech’s lineup is incredibly talented and will give the Cavalier pitchers fits if they do not pitch smartly. In particular, the Virginia bullpen will have to perform at their best. This unit has been wildly inconsistent across the season, and anything but a stellar weekend will not be enough to pull off an upset.
Bullpen play is especially important given that this Yellow Jacket batting lineup can sting opposing pitchers. Georgia Tech is hitting for the ninth-best batting average nationwide and has scored the 12th most runs. This unit is led by junior infielder Kyle Lodise, who is a true dual-threat of both contact hitting and power hitting. Lodise has a .379 batting average, yet has slugged 13 home runs in 2025. Another name to note is sophomore outfielder Drew Burress, who was the national freshman of the year in 2024. Burress has incredible speed and power, having legged out 19 doubles this year — good enough for fourth in the nation.
Georgia Tech can pack a punch on the mound as well. The starting rotation is captained by sophomore pitcher Tate McKee, who is 5-1 in 10 starts. Equally intimidating is an elite bullpen, helmed by graduate Mason Patel. Patel has been lights out when it comes to containing opponents, posting an 8-1 record with a 2.44 earned run average despite not starting a game. It will be critical for the Cavaliers to score early, because once Patel is in the game, offense will likely grind to a halt.
The Yellow Jackets, of course, will serve as rigorous competition. But if Virginia can continue its momentum on offense and have quality pitching, this could be a turning point in the Cavaliers’ season. Friday’s game will start at 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ACCNX.
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