Cavalier Baseball Outlasts Duke, 7-6

Matt Thaiss continued his tear of the 2016 baseball season on Saturday and was able to help carry UVa to their fourth straight victory and second in the ACC.

The 3rd year catcher is batting .379 and scorched the ball all over the Durham Bulls Athletic Park yet again after flattening a baseball on Friday. On Saturday he had three more hits, two more RBI, and another run scored. Thaiss got support from his fellow hitters at the top of the lineup who combined to go 5-12 with two more RBI, three more runs scored, and two walks.

On the mound, first year Daniel Lynch did not have his best stuff for his ACC debut allowing four runs on four hits and four walks in only 3.2 innings. Fortunately, JUCO transfer, Tyler Shambora came on in his ACC debut and shut down the Blue Devils through the 7th inning. Shambora pitched to contact excellently only striking out one, but limiting Duke to just two hits and two walks.

After holding Duke scoreless on Friday, and shutting them out through 4+ innings on Saturday, the bullpen problem reared its ugly head again in the ninth inning. The Cavalier's anointed closer, Alec Bettinger, allowed the Blue Devils back in the game by surrendering a 2 run home run. Bettinger was able to escape after the home run, getting the final two outs to secure the Cavalier victory and his fourth save of the season.

UVa goes for the sweep Sunday afternoon in Durham. They haven't had much luck on Sunday thus far, winning only one of the three Sunday games, but a sweep in the first ACC weekend of the year would be huge.