CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 14 Virginia (15-1) scored in all but two trips to the plate in a 20-5 victory over George Washington (4-12) on Tuesday (March 14) at Disharoon Park. The 20-run offensive output was the third of the season for the Cavaliers who came into the contest as the nation’s fifth-highest scoring offense.
The three, 20-run games this season match a program record originally set in 1889 and duplicated in 1898 and 1905.
The Cavaliers racked up 17 hits and scored four runs in the first, third and sixth innings. Their five-run outburst in the fifth pushed the Cavalier lead to double digits and put the game out of reach. Junior Ethan O’Donnell went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and three RBI in the contest. Sophomore Casey Saucke also drove in three runs in a 2-for-3 effort at the plate.
In a scheduled staff day, starting pitcher Connelly Early was credited with his team-best, fourth win of the season after pitching the first three innings without yielding a run. The lefthander faced 11 batters, scattered four hits and struck out three batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cavaliers plated four runs in their first turn at the plate, three unearned, beginning with a two-out RBI single by Ethan Anderson. Freshman Henry Godbout followed with a double to straightaway center, scoring a pair of runs.
OH HENRY!! Two-RBI double for Henry Godbout has UVA 4-0 after one inning.
That’s 2️⃣9️⃣ first inning runs for UVA in 16 games this season.
📺: ACCNX | #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/AL77ms8Xdm
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 14, 2023
- O’Donnell continued his hot hitting, blasting his fifth home run of the year and third in the last four games with a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field. O’Donnell had all three of his RBI in his first three at bats.
🚀 LIFTOFF 🚀
Ethan O’Donnell banks one off the scoreboard in RF! It’s 5-0 UVA! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/g7mqjFSq9S
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) March 14, 2023
- The Cavaliers used another four-run rally in the third and again it was O’Donnell who came through with two outs. The junior singled into right center and plated Harrison Didawick and Godbout to put UVA up 9-0.
- The Colonials used a four-run outburst of their own to narrow the gap in the top of the fifth. Three runs came in on a bases clearing double by designated hitter Anthony Frechette.
- With the lead cut down five, the Cavaliers responded with five runs in…