Ortiz Hits Walk-Off Grand Slam to Stun North Carolina

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Trailing by three runs going into the underside of the ten^th inning, No. 11 Virginia (30-10, 12-8 ACC) scored seven in its half, 4 on a walk-off grand slam by Devin Ortiz to defeat North Carolina, 11-7 at Disharoon Park on Saturday (April 23). The victory clinched the sequence, the primary sequence win over North Carolina since 2016.

Virginia left the bases loaded within the backside of the ninth and North Carolina (23-16, 8-12 ACC) took benefit of a second alternative. The Tar Heels despatched eight batters to the plate within the high of the ten^th and scored three runs, two on a double in the appropriate centerfield hole by Mac Horvath.

After sac fly from Casey Saucke, Virginia made it a one-run recreation on a two-out single by the appropriate aspect by Kyle Teel, his fourth hit of the day. Graduate pupil Alex Tappen tied the sport at seven with single over the outstretched palms of UNC shortstop Danny Serretti. With runners on second and third, UNC elected to stroll Jake Gelof who was 2-for-4 with a house run and three RBI on the day to load the bases.

Ortiz drove the primary pitch he noticed 373 ft down the left discipline line that stayed simply contained in the foul pole for the walk-off winner. The grand slam by Ortiz was the third of his profession and the fifth hit by the Cavaliers this season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The lead modified hand six instances within the contest and was tied on three completely different events.
• Gelof tied the sport twice himself. He blasted his 15^th house run of the season to knot the sport at one within the fourth after which singled up the center within the sixth to even it at two.

• Two batters later within the fourth, Virginia took its first lead on a two-out single by Chris Newell.
• North Carolina tied it up within the seventh on a two-out bases loaded infield single by Hunter Stokely.
• The Cavaliers rallied once more within the backside half and plated an unearned run as Teel scored on a fielder’s selection by Gelof.
• The Cavaliers took a 4-3 lead into the ninth inning but it surely was erased by a lead-off homer by Alberto Osuna.

FROM HEAD COACH BRIAN O’CONNOR

“School baseball video games are onerous to win. That was an important setting and an important crew win. To surrender the lead within the ninth after which be down three in further innings and for our crew to simply put a bunch of hits collectively and rally again was simply actually spectacular. It takes all the pieces. Us and North Carolina all the time play nice ball video games and I count on tomorrow to be no completely different.”

UP NEXT: The sequence concludes on Sunday (April 24) searching for its second ACC sequence sweep of the season. The Cavaliers may have lefthander Jake Berry (4-2) on the mound for the finale. The Tar Heels will begin righty Kyle Mott (4-2). First pitch is slated for two p.m. and the competition will air dwell on ESPNU.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Six of UVA’s seven tenth-inning runs got here with two outs.
• It marked the second walk-off win of the season for the Cavaliers, each have are available Atlantic Coast Convention play (Boston School, March 18).
• Gelof moved into tie for fifth place with Mark Reynolds (2002) on UVA single-season house runs record.
• The win for O’Connor as his 780^th of his profession, tying him with former North Carolina head coach Mike Roberts for the eighth most in ACC historical past.
• Tappen performed in his 200^th recreation to grow to be the 11^th Cavalier to play in 200 or extra video games.
• Virginia beginning pitcher Brian Gursky matched a career-high with 9 strikeouts over 5.2 innings of labor.