Brian O’Connor couldn’t have requested for a greater all-around efficiency from his UVA ball membership to open NCAA Event play on the Greenville Regional. The Cavaliers flashed some leather-based in a number of spotlight defensive performs at key moments, delivered opportunistic and clutch hits to drive in runs within the third and fifth innings, and bought a superb efficiency on the mound from beginning pitcher Nate Savino as Virginia rolled to a 7-2 victory over Coastal Carolina on Friday evening. 

“I’m simply pleased with our guys,” mentioned UVA head coach Brian O’Connor. “They bought massive two-strike hits, just a few two-out hits. [Alex Tappen] over right here made two excellent diving performs in left area. These have been massive, massive moments within the recreation and to form of cease momentum for them. So enthusiastic about our effort tonight and looking out ahead to tomorrow evening.”

Now, UVA will look to take management of the Greenville Regional because the Cavaliers advance within the winners’ bracket to face East Carolina on Saturday at 7pm (ESPN+). The winner of the Virginia-East Carolina recreation might want to win only one extra recreation to advance to the Tremendous Regional and can have two tries to take action, giving the winner of Saturday evening’s recreation the within monitor to profitable the Greenville Regional. 

As a way to seize that key benefit, Virginia should undergo an East Carolina crew that’s pretty much as good as it’s hungry. The Pirates have made 32 appearances within the NCAA Event and have received six NCAA regional championships, however have by no means superior to the School World Sequence. This season, East Carolina has maybe its greatest shot at making all of it the best way to Omaha because the No. 8 total seed within the NCAA Event. The Pirates are 43-18 this season and have received 19 video games in a row, together with a dominant 17-1 win over Coppin State that included an unbelievable second as middle fielder Bryson Worrell managed to hit two dwelling runs, one from either side of the plate, in the identical inning. 

Virginia and East Carolina have met 52 instances in an all-time sequence that dates again to 1967. UVA holds a 31-21 edge in these video games, however ECU has taken 4 of the final 5 video games, together with a key matchup within the 2016 NCAA Event on the Charlottesville Regional. The Pirates beat the Cavaliers 8-6 within the winners’ bracket and went on to win the Charlottesville Regional that season. 

Precisely six years later to the day, the Cavaliers can have an opportunity to repay the favor as they give the impression of being to knock off the top-seeded Pirates on their dwelling area. 

As decided by a coin flip, East Carolina would be the dwelling crew and Virginia would be the visiting crew for Saturday evening’s recreation. Second-Crew All-ACC pitcher Brian Gursky (7-2) is the anticipated starter for the Cavaliers and the Pirates will doubtless ship out lefty C.J. Mayhue (4-1) to begin on the mound. The sport is reportedly bought out. 

See up to date scores for each recreation within the regional spherical of the 2022 NCAA Baseball Event right here. 

See extra Virginia baseball information and content material: Virginia Baseball on Sports activities Illustrated

See extra Virginia sports activities information and content material: Virginia Cavaliers on Sports activities Illustrated

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