Griff McGarry will get the start for Virginia in Game 2 of the Super Regional series with Dallas Baptist on Sunday.
McGarry (0-5, 7.53 ERA) began the year as a weekend starter for UVA, but was relegated to the bullpen in early April after a series of rough outings.
Control has been the major issue for McGarry, whose repertoire features a fastball that can touch 99 mph on the gun.
McGarry has struck out 51 and walked 37 in 28.2 innings – feast or famine there, lots of Ks, lots of free passes.
Even in the abbreviated 2020, in which McGarry was 3-0 in four starts with a 1.44 ERA, walks were still an issue – he issued 19 bases on balls in 20 innings, while striking out 31.
Similar trend in his first two seasons in Charlottesville – 2018 (0-2, 8.15 ERA, 22K/16BB in 17.2 IP) and 2019 (3-5, 4.56 ERA, 64K/54BB in 53.1 IP).
McGarry’s longest outing in 2021 came way back on Feb. 27 in Chapel Hill, his second start of the season, in a 2-1 loss to UNC, in which the senior struck out nine, walked two, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits in five innings.
McGarry got the start last weekend in the first elimination game with ODU on Sunday night, and was solid early – striking out the first six batters he faced and holding the Monarchs hitless through three – before giving up back-to-back homers to lead off the fourth and eventually having to leave with a blister on his right thumb.
Story by Chris Graham
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Chris Graham
