VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (31-17, 14-10 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – Jr. RHP Connor Jones (9-1, 1.95 ERA)
Sat. – Jr. RHP Alec Bettinger (1-4, 5.45 ERA)
Sun. – So. LHP Adam Haseley (7-2, 1.35 ERA)
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (32-16, 11-12 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Fri. – Jr. RHP Brandon Gold (6-2, 2.16 ERA)
Sat. – Jr. LHP Ben Parr (7-0, 4.01 ERA)
Sun. – TBA
The No. 12 UVA baseball team returns to action this weekend after a nine-day break for final exams as it takes on No. 19 Georgia Tech in a three-game ACC series at Davenport Field. The teams play at 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and Noon Sunday.
Broadcast Information
Live video broadcasts for the series can be accessed on VirginiaSports.com via a Cavaliers Live subscription. The radio broadcasts for all three games will air on WINA 1070-AM and 98.9-FM. A link to live statistics also can be found on VirginiaSports.com.
Things to Know
• Virginia is No. 16 in the NCAA’s latest RPI figures, while Georgia Tech is No. 19.
• UVA is 6-6 in its first game back from the exam break since 2004.
• Ernie Clement has reached base in 19 straight games.
• UVA has not allowed a stolen base in its last 11 games (only one attempt).
• UVA is honoring late bus driver Bernard Martin with a patch on its hats for the rest of the season.
Promotions
- Friday – Trading Card Fridays (collect a new set of Cavalier trading cards, including a Legends card).
- Saturday – Military Appreciation Day (all active and retired service members will be eligible to purchase discounted tickets).
- Sunday – Little League Day (for discounted team tickets, call the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office at 800-542-8821 and reference Little League Day at Davenport Field).
ACC Family Sundays (Family Packages include four general admission tickets and four $8 concessions vouchers, good for any food or drink item at Davenport Field. After the game, all fans are invited down to the field where kids can run the bases and get autographs).
Virginia-Georgia Tech Series
Georgia Tech holds a 70-51-2 series edge over Virginia, but UVA is 25-15-1 against the Yellow Jackets since the current coaching staff took over in 2004. Virginia has won four of its last six series against Georgia Tech, including three straight in Charlottesville.
Since 2004, 17 of the programs’ 41 meetings have been decided by one run or a tie. The teams split four games in 2015, with the Yellow Jackets taking two of three in Atlanta and UVA earning an 11-0 in a seven-inning mercy-rule win in the first round of the ACC tournament.
Back to the Friendly Confines of Davenport Field
Virginia completes the regular season with seven straight home games, the Cavaliers’ longest stretch of home contests to end the season since 2008. UVA is the lone ACC team to play its final two ACC series of 2016 at home.
Virginia is 370-92 (.802) at home since 2004 under Brian O’Connor, including a 18-9 mark this year. UVA has averaged 3,532 fans per game this year. The Cavaliers drew 13,858 fans for their series with UNC and will pass the 100,000 mark for the sixth time in seven years this weekend.
Making Headway on the Road
Virginia concluded a successful road trip on May 3 at Liberty prior to the exam break, capping a 7-1 swing with a 7-3 win over the Flames. The eight-game trip was UVA’s longest stretch of regular-season true road games since 1999. UVA picked up ACC series wins at then-No. 1 Miami and Pitt. The Cavaliers finished 11-8 in true road games in the regular season.
Noting the Win Streak
Virginia has won six straight games, its longest win streak of the season. In that stretch, Cameron Simmons leads the team in batting at .375 (9-24) with four doubles, while Daniel Pinero is batting .360 (9-25). Pavin Smith has driven in nine runs.
UVA is batting .320 as a team, while opponents are hitting just .223. UVA has committed only four errors in that span (.983 fielding pct.).
The start of the streak coincides with Ernie Clement’s move to the leadoff spot in the batting order. He is batting .346 (9-26) in that stretch.
Noting Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech boasts one of the ACC’s top hitting teams, with six regulars batting over .300, while the team has a .316 batting average. Matt Gonzalez leads the team with a .380 batting average, while Connor Justus is hitting .362. Trevor Craport is batting .359, and Kel Johnson is hitting .342 with team highs in home runs (9) and RBI (44). On the mound, Brandon Gold has emerged as Georgia Tech’s ace. He owns a 6-2 record with a 2.16 ERA in 79 1/3 innings this year. Closer Matthew Gorst has allowed just two earned runs in 28 2/3 innings while earning 10 saves.
Up Next
Virginia continues its homestand at 6 p.m. Tuesday (May 17) against Richmond before wrapping up the regular season next Thursday through Saturday (May 19-21) against Virginia Tech.
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Chris Graham
