Jay Woolfolk gave up a chance to be the starting quarterback at Virginia last summer to focus on his promising baseball career.
The junior righthander made his first career start for the #14 UVA baseball team on Sunday.
It did not go well.
Woolfolk, a projected fifth-round 2024 MLB Draft pick, walked five of the 13 batters that he faced in two-plus innings of work, and was charged with six runs, five earned, in Virginia’s 11-9 victory over Hofstra.
Yes, Virginia still won to complete the weekend sweep, but we really wanted to see more out of Woolfolk, who Brian O’Connor needs to step us as a weekend starter in 2024.
Shortstop Griff O’Ferrall, the #29 prospect, per Baseball America, in the 2024 MLB Draft class, was 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the win to cap a big weekend at the plate – he was 6-for-12 with two homers and six RBIs.
Catcher Ethan Anderson, BA’s #65 prospect in the 2024 draft class, was also 2-for-4 on Sunday.
The biggest weekend belonged to freshman first baseman Henry Ford, a Charlottesville native who hit .316 with seven homers with the Charlottesville Tom Sox in the Valley League last summer.
Ford was 2-for-4 on Sunday with a three-run homer, capping a weekend in which he was 7-for-13 with two homers and six RBIs.
Bryson Moore got the win in relief for Virginia, putting in three scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking out three and walking two.
Aidan Teel pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his second save of the season.
So, the ‘Hoos got the win, got the weekend series sweep, but there’s the issue with Woolfolk and the Friday-night starter, Jack O’Connor, who was touched up for four runs, three earned, in four innings of work in the opener, a 10-8 Virginia win.
Pitching looks to be a work-in-progress at this early, early stage of the 2024 season.
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Chris Graham
