CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (WTKR) — After losing to Duke in the first game of the Charlottesville Super Regional, Virginia baseball would have to fight with its back consistently against the wall and its season on the line in two straight games.
If there was pressure on the Cavaliers (50-13), it did not seem to affect them.
Brian O'Connor's squad winning Saturday's Game 2, then thumping the Blue Devils in Sunday's winner-take-all finale, 12-2, punching its ticket to the College World Series.
Brian Edgington tossed a complete game, striking out 11 Blue Devil batters while throwing 114 total pitches.
“You always dream about going a complete game, but usually, it very rarely happens,” Edgington said. “I had my splitter working today, which is typically my best pitch, so having that was good. I just kind of stick to the game plan, attacking hitters, and obviously we have a great offense, so just doing my part to put up zeroes.”
The Cavaliers saw an offensive explosion during the second inning, plating five runs while batting through the lineup. Western Branch alum Harrison Didawick got the scoring started with a single into left field.
After Duke scored on a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, UVA scored four runs in the bottom half. That run included a two-run homer for Frank Cox alum Ethan Anderson, his third of the tournament and second in the past two days.
“Getting to Omaha is very, very difficult to do,” O’Connor said. “It takes a lot of things, it takes a lot more than just talent, and that’s why I’m so proud of these players that wear our uniform."
With the win, Virginia heads to Omaha for the sixth time in the last 15 years. It's set to face Florida first in pool play with a date and time to be determined on Monday.
