Virginia, which obviously wasn’t prepared to play Jacksonville State on Friday, was prepared, with the season on the line, for #8 national seed Southern Miss on Saturday.
I don’t know who pitches on Sunday, but at least there is a Sunday, after that improbable come-from-ahead 15-11 extra-inning win that knocked Southern Miss, a sleeper pick to get to Omaha, right out of the NCAA Tournament.
First-year UVA coach Chris Pollard used everybody – Kyle Johnson started, but didn’t get out of the third inning; #3 starter John Paone went 3.1 innings, and likely would’ve finished this one out, but found himself ejected by home-plate umpire Sean Cassidy for a supposed excessive celebration after striking out Ty Long to end a 1-2-3 seventh.
Tyler Kapa and Lucas Hartman tag-teamed to give up a three-run lead in the eighth – their bacon got saved by RJ Holmes throwing out a runner at the plate on a two-out, two-RBI double off the bat of Tucker Strockman.
Max Stammel, of all people, calmed things down, striking out Kyle Morrison to get out of two-out trouble in the bottom of the ninth, then setting down the Eagles in order after the offense put up a four-spot in the 10th.
Stammel, like Paone, would have been a candidate to start on Sunday, but, there is no Sunday if you don’t win on Saturday.
The win on Saturday came down to a two-out, two-run single in the top of the 10th from Zach Jackson, who had been 0-for-5 on the day to that point, and, two batters later, a 417-foot two-run homer from Johnson, who remained in the game at DH after going out as the starting pitcher.
On the day, Johnson was 3-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored, while giving up a pair of three-run homers in 2.2 innings on the mound.
AJ Gracia had his first career five-hit game – he was 5-for-6 with a double, a triple and five RBIs.
Holmes, starting at shortstop in place of the injured Eric Becker, was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI.
Joe Tiroly had an early three-run homer, his 16th home run of the season.
It’s looking at the moment that Virginia’s elimination game – against the loser of tonight’s Jacksonville State-Little Rock 1-0 game – will be played at 4 p.m. ET. on Sunday.
I reported a 4 p.m. ET start for today, and that eventually got updated to the 2 p.m. ET start that we all saw, so.
From a pitching staff standpoint, obviously, it’s all-hands-on-deck.
Stammel only went 17 pitches today, so he can give you an inning or two, certainly.
Thomas Stewart went an inning with 14 pitches, so, another inning or two there.
Kevin Jaxel had the day off, so he can give you an inning.
It’s in Hartman’s NIL deal that he has to pitch, so, an inning from him, maybe two.
We sure could use a surprise long outing from out of nowhere like Brandon Neeck circa 2021.
Because if our guys win at 4 p.m. ET, there’s a second game tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET.
If you have eligibility remaining, and an inning left in your arm, you might want to get on the road toward Hattiesburg, just in case.
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Chris Graham
