:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59212601/helmets___Virginia_Media_Relations.0.jpg)
There comes a tipping point in every season where a team realizes what their destiny might be. Win, gain some momentum, and put it all together to make a run. Lose, feel defeated, and start to think this might just not be the season.
That could be this weekend for the Cavalier ball club after dropping four of the last five having been swept at Miami last weekend to fall to 14-11 overall and just 3-6 in the ACC.
Luckily for this UVa team, they’ll get to travel to Pittsburgh this weekend to take on a team that has faced worse struggles in 2018.
Pitt enters the weekend with a 12-9 overall record, but only a 2-7 record in conference play. Those lone wins coming against Virginia Tech and Duke.
The biggest problem for the Panthers has been undoubtedly their pitching. Though their two starters announced thus far: RJ Freure and Matt Pidich have a 3.75 and 3.12 ERA, respectively, they have a 4.33 ERA overall. Looking at just conference play, Freure and Pidich have a 7.15 and 5.29 ERA. As a staff? 8.05 ERA against conference opponents.
Obviously that is good news because the UVa hitters need to wake the bats up. Against Miami the Hoos were only able to push across four runs the entire weekend.
The even better news is that while the UVa bats have struggled in conference, the pitching staff has kept their form to a tune of a 3.86 ERA, good for 5th best in the conference. Meanwhile Pitt’s lineup in conference has not been great with a .235 average and a .325 one base percentage.
At 3-6 in the ACC, Virginia is in the “danger zone” and needs to take care of the opponents they should easily take care of. This weekend’s series is a must win with North Carolina, Louisville, and Clemson still remaining on the schedule.