#5 Virginia defeats Rider, 12-3, to complete midweek sweep

Fifth-ranked Virginia hit three more home runs and logged six innings of scoreless relief in a 12-3 win over Rider on Wednesday at Disharoon Park.

The Cavaliers (16-1) belted seven home runs in the two-game midweek series and have now won 14 straight home games dating back to last season.

Alex Tappen, Casey Saucke and Chris Newell all hit homers as part of a 15-hit output by the Cavaliers. Virginia has scored 10 or more runs in all 11 home games this season.

Sophomore Jake Berry led a quartet of Cavalier relievers that accounted for six shutout frames. Berry was credited with his second win of the season after striking out four batters over 2.2 innings.

The lefthander leads the Virginia bullpen in appearances (7) and innings pitched (15.1) and lowered his ERA to 1.29.

After Virginia plated the first run the game in the bottom of the first inning on two-out Jake Gelof RBI double, the Broncs responded in the top of the second with a two-run homer by Brendan O’Donnell to take a 2-1 lead.

The Rider advantage was short-lived as UVA posted three runs in its half of the second. Making his first collegiate start, Tristan Shoemaker singled home the go-ahead run. He was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI on the day.

In the fourth, Alex Tappen greeted Rider reliever Frank DelGuercio by belting the first pitch he saw into the left field bleachers. A batter later, Saucke followed suit with his second homer in as many days, a two-run shot to put UVA up 9-3.

Newell capped the UVA scoring in the eighth inning with a solo two-run homer to the opposite field, his fifth home run of the season and second of the midweek series.

Alex Greene, Jay Woolfolk and Will Geerdes pitched the last 3.1 innings allowing just two runners to reach base. Woolfolk struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Geerdes needed just six pitches in the ninth to close out the game.

“I just thought there were a number of guys in the lineup that really had fantastic approaches today, and it’s a collection of different guys every day,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “(Alex) Tappen was outstanding, him and Casey Saucke. We’re getting a collection of contributions from a lot of different guys, and it’s allowed us to create some depth and play some different infielders and guys in different situations.

“I didn’t think Ortiz was great today, but he pitched in relief on Sunday and then comes back two days later for this start. He was going to be limited on how many pitches he was going to throw anyway, and I think the collection of the other guys out of the bullpen did a nice job,” O’Connor said.

Virginia will host Boston College this weekend in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Friday’s opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. and both Saturday and Sunday games are slated for 1 p.m. first pitches.