No. 23 Virginia wrapped up a wild road series with California over the weekend, dropping the opener but storming back to take two straight and claim the series win at Stu Gordon Stadium. From an offensive slump on Friday to a historic ninth-inning comeback on Saturday, and a second-inning explosion on Sunday, the Cavaliers (12-6, 3-3 ACC) showed both resilience and power to even their ACC record.
Game 1: Offensive Woes in Series Opener (L, 1-6)
Virginia struggled at the plate in Friday’s series opener, falling 6-1 in a game where they managed just four hits. Jay Woolfolk took the loss on the mound, giving up four earned runs in five innings.
Cal took control early, capitalizing on a Virginia fielding error and a sacrifice fly to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. A two-run homer by Seth Gwynn extended the Bears’ advantage to 5-0 by the fourth.
UVA’s lone run came in the fifth when James Nunnallee scored on an Eric Becker sacrifice fly, but the Cavaliers left too many runners stranded, including a bases-loaded chance in the ninth. The loss snapped Henry Godbout’s 35-game on-base streak, highlighting a quiet night for the UVA offense.
Game 2: Late-Inning Magic Sparks Wild Comeback (W, 10-8)
Saturday’s contest started much like Friday’s, as Virginia trailed 7-2 entering the ninth inning. Then, the bats woke up. The Cavaliers erupted for eight runs in the top of the ninth—UVA’s largest comeback of the season.
Pinch hitters Chone James and Walker Buchanan kickstarted the rally with back-to-back singles. RBI hits from Aidan Teel and Aiden Harris chipped away at the lead before Eric Becker and Henry Ford drove in two more to make it a one-run game.
With the bases loaded and two outs, James delivered a go-ahead two-run double to right-center. Buchanan followed with another two-run double to cap the rally, giving Virginia its first lead of the game. Matt Lanzendorfer then closed the door in the bottom of the ninth for his second save of the season.
“It’s a resilient group,” head coach Brian O’Connor said after the win. “They never give up, and today they showed it.”
Game 3: Nine-Run Second Propels Cavaliers to Series Win (W, 11-5)
Sunday’s rubber match was decided early, as Virginia scored nine runs in the second inning to take control. Down to his final strike, Henry Godbout launched a grand slam to left field, blowing the game open.
Evan Blanco earned his first win of the season, holding the Bears to two earned runs over five innings. Chone James added a two-hit, one-RBI performance, while Jack O’Connor tossed 2.1 scoreless frames to close out the game.
With every starter collecting a hit and the team striking out zero times at the plate, UVA’s offense showed its full potential, improving to 7-0 in games following a loss this season.
What This Series Means
After a shaky Game 1, Virginia showed grit and offensive depth to win the next two games and secure their first ACC series win of 2025. The Cavaliers’ bullpen also stepped up, especially in late-inning situations.
While defensive lapses and early deficits remain concerns, this series revealed the Cavaliers’ ability to come back under pressure. UVA now returns home to Disharoon Park for a four-game homestand, starting with Richmond on Wednesday.
Virginia came out on top, taking the series 2-1.
If you’re interested in reviewing the recap and post game notes yourself—feel free to head to the UVA Men’s Baseball Website or click on the link above.
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