The Cavaliers got off to a great start on Wednesday afternoon mercy-ruling Wake Forest 13-1 in each team's opening game in Durham. Tyler Wilson turned in another excellent start for the 'Hoos going 6.1 IP, striking out 12, and only giving up a single run on 2 hits and a walk. The bats that so many people were worried about after the UNC series came alive to the tune of 13 runs on 15 hits including seven for extra bases. Four of the Cavaliers in the lineup (Taylor, Proscia, King, and Swab) even had three hit games.
The 'Hoos will now turn their attention to Miami for the most important game that Pool A will have. Miami was able to knock off UNC on Thursday in come from behind fashion to win 7-5. With both UVa and Miami sitting at 1-0 the team who wins this game is likely to advance to the Championship game on Sunday.
UVa should be familiar with the Hurricanes as the two teams squared off less than two weeks ago in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers were able to take the series two games to one, but all of three games were close. The only loss on the weekend for UVa came on Friday due to a five run first inning the Hurricanes had in which UVa committed two errors and numerous other mistakes.
Today, 3rd year RHP Will Roberts takes the mound for the 'Hoos. Roberts enters with a 10-1 record and a 1.67 ERA. Usually, numbers like that would likely land a person in the Pitcher of the Year spot. Not this year, as Will was some how left off completely of both First and Second team All-ACC lists. Just doesn't make sense to me. Da U will counter with sophmore RHP Eric Whaley who has a 7-5 record and a 2.61 ERA. Whaley was highly effective in his loss against UVa in Charlottesville pitching a full 6 innings and only giving up 2 runs on four hits. Fortunately enough he only struck out five so the 'Hoos were able to put the ball in play on a consistent basis.
Both teams need no reminder as to how important this game is as both want to earn their second ACC tournament title in the last 4 years. If UVa's bats can stay hot and Will Roberts can be as dominant on the mound as he has been all year I expect the 'Hoos to pull it out and get ready for what hopefully will be a meaningless game on Saturday against UNC.
The game kicks off at 11 AM on your regional Comcast Sports Net provider (or Fox Sports Net in the deeper south). I will be providing updates and trememndous color commentary via twitter @STLUVaBaseball. This is usually the part where I say "Goo Hoos" or we have someone new say it. Luckily, I was able to run into everyone's favorite (soon to be ex-) Washington Redskin running back, Clinton Portis, again the other day. We talked about how much he loves falling down with nobody around him, his 5 different personalities, and then he told me "Mayyyyyn, dis John Beck guy sucks. Can't throw no balls longer than 15 yards. Falcons probably gonna win it all this year. I don't need dis nonsense around here. I'm heading to Durham. Goooooooooooooo HOOOOOOOOOOOOOS." I swear, he said all of that.