In a heavyweight showdown between two teams who made the College World Series last June and who were picked to win their respective divisions in the competitive Atlantic Conference Conference this season, the Cavaliers would not be denied and successfully defended their home ballpark.
After games 1 and 2 were each determined by six runs, the decisive series finale on Sunday was fittingly a dramatic thriller. No. 17 Virginia (16-4, 3-3 ACC) trailed by as many as five runs, but staged an inspired rally and eventually won on an extra-inning walk-off, taking down No. 7 Wake Forest (13-6, 2-4 ACC) 11-10 to claim the series win on Sunday afternoon at Disharoon Park.
Jay Woolfolk's start on the mound was less than ideal, as he gave up a two-run home run to Adam Tellier in the top of the first inning. UVA answered in the bottom of the first, as Bobby Whalen drew a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, and came around to score on an RBI single from Henry Ford. The Cavaliers took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third with Henry Godbout hitting an RBI single and Jacob Ference sending a ball into the left field bleachers for a two-run home run.
After Woolfolk settled in and posted zeroes in the second and third innings, he ran into trouble in the fourth as he gave up a solo shot to Jack Winnay, who hit two home runs in Wake's game 2 win on Saturday. Blake Barker came into the game and gave up two-run home run to Tate Ballestero to put the Demon Deacons in front 5-4.
Virginia managed to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth as Godbout singled, moved to second on a walk, and then opportunistically came around to score on a throwing error to make it 5-5. UVA had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded, but couldn't capitalize.
Aidan Teel had some trouble in the top of the sixth as he gave up a pair of walks, but appeared to get out of it as he got Marek Houston to hit a slow bouncer up the middle that both Godbout and Griff O'Ferrall could have fielded. Instead, there was a miscommunication between UVA's two middle infielders, who both stopped in their tracks and watched as the ball passed into center field. One run scored on that play and Wake went on to score three more runs in the inning to make it 9-5. That lead stretched to five in the top of the seventh as the Demon Deacons cashed in on a wild pitch by Owen Coady.
Ference took a bite out of Wake's lead in the bottom of the seventh by hitting his second homer of the day, an opposite field solo shot to right field.
Virginia again went to the long ball in the bottom of the eighth, as Casey Saucke was hit by a pitch, Henry Ford hit an infield single that was too hot for the Wake pitcher to handle, and then Harrison Didawick brought everyone home with a three-run home run that had plenty of distance and barely stayed fair, bringing the Cavaliers within one run at 10-9.
Jack O'Connor walked a pair of batters in the top of the ninth and then exited the game with an injury, but Kevin Jaxel came in and struck out the first batter he faced to keep it a one-run game.
Then came the biggest moment of UVA's young season, as the Cavaliers were down to their final out and Casey Saucke was down to his last strike, but put a great swing on the 0-2 pitch and drilled a line drive into the right field bullpen for the game-tying solo home run.
Jaxel retired the Wake side in order in the top of the 10th and then Virginia put more pressure on Wake closer David Falco, as Harrison Didawick drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a Godbout bunt, and advanced to third on a dropped fly ball. Another Wake fielding error ended the game, as Ethan Anderson hit a bouncer back to Falco, who initially caught the ball, but couldn't keep it in his glove and Didawick capitalized, sprinting home and sliding in headfirst just before the tag to win the game for the Cavaliers.
It was far from a perfect performance, especially from the still struggling UVA pitching staff. But the Cavaliers got a few solid pitching performances, in particular from Kevin Jaxel, who got four clutch outs and earned his third win of the season. Offensively, Harrison Didawick and Jacob Ference had three RBI apiece and five different Cavaliers had multi-hit outings.
The series win was Virginia's first against a top 10 opponent since 2020. Sunday's victory was UVA's third walk-off win of the season and the Cavaliers have trailed in 11 of their 16 wins this year.
Virginia wraps up the five-game homestand against Georgetown on Tuesday at 4pm at Disharoon Park before heading on the road for a three-game series at Pittsburgh this weekend.
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