VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (41-22)
Probable Starting Pitcher
Jr. LHP Nathan Kirby (5-2, 2.28 ERA)
FLORIDA GATORS (51-17)
Probable Starting Pitcher
So. RHP Logan Shore (10-6, 2.55 ERA)
The UVA baseball team plays No. 4 national seed Florida at 3 p.m. ET on Friday in in the 2015 NCAA College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. With a 2-0 record in the double-elimination tournament, the Cavaliers need one win to reach the CWS Finals next week. In order to advance, Florida must defeat UVa twice. If necessary, the two teams would play again Saturday to determine who moves on to the CWS Finals.
Broadcast Information
The Friday game airs on ESPN2 and also will stream online via the WatchESPN app. UVa’s live radio broadcast is available on VirginiaSports.com through a Cavaliers Live subscription. A link to live statistics also can be found on VirginiaSports.com.
WINA 1070-AM and WINA.com will have the live local radio broadcast for all postseason games. Each of the CWS games will air across select stations on the Virginia Sports Radio Network:
Charlottesville – WINA 1070 AM
Lynchburg – WZZU 97.9 FM
Martinsville – WHEE 1370 AM
Richmond – WRVA 1140 AM
Roanoke – WFIR 107.3 FM/ 960 AM
Virginia and Florida Battle for Bracket Championship
Florida owns a 4-2 series edge after UVa’s 1-0 win on Monday. UVa is 2-1 against the Gators in NCAA tournament play. The teams have met twice previously in NCAA tournament play, with both coming in the 1985 NCAA Atlantic Regional in Coral Gables, Fla. Virginia won the tournament opener, 14-1, on May 24 but the Gators bounced UVa from the regional with a 15-2 win on May 26. Prior to Monday, the programs last met March 8 and 9, 1989, in Gainesville. Florida won both games convincingly by 13-6 and 18-0 counts.
Close Games Throughout The NCAA Tournament
Virginia has scored the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning or later in each of its seven NCAA tournament wins this season. UVa has come from behind in five of those wins. UVa has scored the eventual winning run in its last at-bat three times (SDSU, USC regional championship, Maryland G2 super regional).
UVa has scored 29 of its 39 runs in the NCAA tourney after the fifth inning. Five of UVa’s seven tourney wins have been by two runs or fewer. UVa has had a lead of more than two runs in just two innings in the tournament (9th inning of 1st game vs USC, 11th inning in 2nd game vs USC).
Kirby Returns to Mound
Junior left-hander Nathan Kirby is the scheduled starter for Friday. The No. 40 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, he has missed nine weeks with a strained left lat muscle, suffered Friday, April 17, during his start against Miami.
At the time of his injury, Kirby led the ACC in strikeouts and was among the league leaders in ERA and innings. Kirby was a 2014 First-Team All-American as well as the ACC’s Co-Pitcher of the Year. He also was a First-Team All-ACC selection this year.
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Chris Graham
