The No. 9 Virginia baseball team finishes the 2017 regular season Thursday through Saturday (May 18-20) with a three-game ACC series at Georgia Tech. The series consists of games at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and a 12:30 p.m. contest Saturday.
The Cavaliers are one victory shy of their 11th 40-win season in 14 years under Brian O’Connor.
VIRGINIA CAVALIERS (39-12, 16-11 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Thu. – So. LHP Daniel Lynch (6-3, 5.37 ERA)
Fri. – Jr. RHP Derek Casey (3-1, 3.81 ERA)
Sat. – TBA
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS (26-24, 10-17 ACC)
Probable Starting Rotation
Thu. – Fr. RHP Xzavion Curry (5-4, 5.35 ERA)
Fri. – So. RHP Keyton Gibson (2-2, 6.37 ERA)
Sat. – So. RHP Jake Lee (4-2, 5.51 ERA)
Broadcast Information
The series airs on ACC Network Extra, which is available to authenticated subscribers of ESPN3 through WatchESPN and the ESPN app. WINA Radio (1070-AM/98.9-FM) has the live radio broadcasts. Links to live statistics also can be found on VirginiaSports.com.
Things to Know
• UVA owns its most regular-season wins since 2014.
• Virginia has clinched a .500 or better ACC record for the 14th straight year (10 prior to 2004).
• Cameron Simmons is batting a team-high .396 in ACC games (second among all league players).
• In the last 10 games, Jake McCarthy is hitting a team-leading .432 (16-37).
• Virginia ranks sixth nationally in batting (.323), 12th in OBP (.407) and 14th in hits (559).
• UVA boasts four players among the ACC’s top 15 in batting.
• Adam Haseley has reached base safely in 49 of 50 games, including 32 straight (most at UVA since 2013).
The Basics
The Cavaliers are ranked ninth nationally this week in the USA Today Coaches poll. UVA leads the ACC in batting at .323, which ranks sixth nationally. The Cavaliers rank sixth in the ACC in ERA (3.94), fifth in fielding (.974) and second in stolen bases (73).
Virginia and Georgia Tech Cap the Regular Season
Georgia Tech holds a 71-53-2 series edge over Virginia, but UVA is 27-16-1 against the Yellow Jackets since the current coaching staff took over in 2004. Virginia has won five of its last seven series against Georgia Tech.
Since 2004, 18 of the teams’ 44 meetings have been decided by one run or a tie. UVA won two of three last year against Georgia Tech but has lost its last two series in Atlanta.
Career Versus Georgia Tech
In seven career games, Ernie Clement is 14-for-29 (.483) against Georgia Tech, with two doubles, two triples and six runs. Pavin Smith is 10-for-22 (.455) with a pair of homers and six RBI in seven games against the Yellow Jackets.
Charlie Cody owns three homers and six RBI in four games against Georgia Tech. Adam Haseley (9-for-27, 9 runs, HR, 4 RBI) and Robbie Coman (7-for-21) each are .333 career hitters against the Yellow Jackets.
Noting Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech downed Georgia Southern, 12-3, Tuesday night after dropping two of three games at Duke last weekend. The Yellow Jackets have hit 67 home runs (third in the ACC) and own a .286 team batting average, which is fourth in the league. Austin Wilhite (.337), Trevor Craport (.332) and Wade Bailey (.329) top the team in batting. The Yellow Jackets own a 5.09 team ERA (12th in the ACC) and a .967 fielding percentage (13th in the ACC).
Up Next
The Cavaliers start postseason competition next week at the ACC Baseball Championship in Louisville, Ky. The full schedule will be announced Sunday morning.
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