Brandon Waddell gave up a run on four hits in seven and a third, and UVA scored two in the bottom of the eighth to break a 1-1 tie, lifting the Cavs to a 3-1 win over San Diego State on Saturday in the Lake Elsinore Regional.
Waddell didn’t factor into the decision, but he was key to the effort, surrendering just an unearned run to a potent San Diego State offense that had averaged 6.3 runs per game this season coming in.
The lone run for the Aztecs, on a fifth-inning single by Alan Trajo, gave SDSU a brief 1-0 lead. UVA slugger Joe McCarthy tied it in the bottom of the fifth on a majestic homer over the monster in right.
It would stay tied at 1 into the bottom of the eighth, which began for UVA with McCarthy working a walk to lead off the inning, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt, then scoring on an RBI single by freshman Ernie Clement.
Clement was thrown out at third trying to advance after an error on the throw to the plate.
Virginia added an insurance run after Adam Haseley tripled with two outs and Daniel Pinero reached on an error.
Josh Sborz (4-2) got the win in relief, getting out of an eighth-inning jam, then pitching around a throwing error by catcher Matt Thaiss after an apparent game-ending strikeout of Spencer Thornton.
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Chris Graham
