VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (5-3)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – Jr. RHP Connor Jones (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
Sat. – Fr. LHP Daniel Lynch (1-1, 5.23 ERA)
Sun. – So. RHP Tommy Doyle (1-0, 2.08 ERA)
MONMOUTH HAWKS (2-5)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – Sr. LHP Frank Trimarco (1-0, 3.27 ERA)
Sat. – Sr. LHP Anthony Ciavarella (1-0, 7.27 ERA)
Sun. – Jr. RHP Ricky Dennis (1-0, 5.00 ERA)
The Virginia baseball team plays Monmouth in a three-game series Friday through Sunday at Davenport Field. The teams are scheduled to play at 3 p.m. Friday, followed by 1 p.m. games on Saturday and Sunday.
Broadcast Information
Audio broadcasts are available for each game through a Cavaliers Live subscription on VirginiaSports.com. In the Charlottesville area, WINA 1070-AM and 98.9 FM will have the radio broadcast of the Saturday and Sunday games.
Links to live statistics for all three games also can be found on VirginiaSports.com.
Cavaliers in the Rankings
8 – Baseball America, 14 – NCBWA, 19 – D1Baseball
Things to Know
- 41 of UVA’s 96 hits have come with two outs (42.7 percent).
- Virginia has outscored its opponents 49-12 in the first five innings of games this season.
- UVA is the lone ACC team that has yet to allow a stolen base this year (one attempt).
- UVA is fielding at a .980 clip (six errors in eight games).
- Three UVA regulars have yet to strike out (Clement, Smith, Thaiss).
Virginia-Monmouth Series
Virginia has won all six meetings in its series with Monmouth. This marks the Hawks’ third trip to Davenport Field in the last five years. UVA swept three-game series in 2012 and 2014. In 2014, all three games in the series were decided by four runs or fewer.
Clement off to Fast Start
Ernie Clement is off to a blazing start, with hits in 17 of his first 33 at bats (.515 BA). Clement is the lone Cavalier with hits in each of the first eight games. The hit streak already is a career long for him. He ranks second in the ACC in hits and batting average and owns six multiple-hit games in the first eight contests.
Smith Producing in Cleanup Spot
In his first year of batting cleanup, Pavin Smith has produced thus far. He is batting .444 (12-for-27) with a team-high 13 RBI (tied for second in ACC). His .556 on-base percentage leads the team and ranks seventh in the ACC. Smith saw most of his action in the 3-hole (18 games) and 5-hole (49 games) last year.
Freshmen Settling into Lineup
Much like 2015, Virginia has relied on a host of freshmen as part of its regular lineup. UVA has started at least three freshmen in the field in every game, including a pair of games with four rookie starters. Andy Weber is the lone rookie to start every game, and he leads the freshmen with a .321 batting average while playing third base.
Noting Monmouth
Monmouth comes into the weekend with a 2-5 record. The Hawks went 1-3 to open the year at the USA Baseball Tournament in Cary, N.C., before going 1-2 at the Wofford Tournament last weekend. Through seven games, Christian Holland leads the team with a .296 batting average, while Shaine Hughes is hitting .269. The Hawks are batting .220 as a team in the early going this season. The Hawks were selected fourth in the 2016 Preseason MAAC Coaches’ Poll after going 22-24 last season.
Up Next
Virginia wraps up its 10-game homestand Tuesday and Wednesday with a two-game midweek series against Wagner. UVA starts ACC play next weekend (March 11-13) at Duke.
Share
AFP
