GREENSBORO, N.C. - Jarrett Parker (Jr., Stafford, Va.) hit a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning to break a 4-all tie and lift the top-seeded Virginia baseball team to a 6-4 victory over No. 8 seed Boston College Wednesday in the opening game of the 2010 ACC Baseball Championship at NewBridge Bank Park in Greensboro, N.C. The Cavaliers trailed 4-3 entering the eighth inning before scoring three in the eighth for the victory.
Tyler Wilson (Jr., Midlothian, Va.) earned the win for Virginia and improved to 7-3 this season. He tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief and struck out three. Kevin Arico (Jr., Flemington, N.J.) struck out the game's final two batters to notch his NCAA-leading 16th save of the season. Taylor Lasko (4-2) took the loss for BC after giving up a pair of runs in the eighth inning.
Both starting pitchers had excellent performances. Virginia starting pitcher Cody Winiarski (Jr., Franksville, Wis.) worked six innings and also pitched to the first three batters in the seventh inning. Winiarski allowed four earned runs, five hits and no walks while striking out four.
Boston College starter Pat Dean worked seven innings and pitched to the first batter in the eighth inning. Dean locked down the ACC's top offense, allowing just four earned runs, two hits and three walks while striking out six.
The Cavaliers tied a season low with five hits, but they made them count as all five directly led to UVa runs. Leadoff hitter Phil Gosselin (Jr., West Chester, Pa.) went 2-for-2 and reached base in all four of his plate appearances. He scored twice and stole a base. Dan Grovatt (Jr., Tabernacle, N.J.) also hit a two-run home run.
Virginia (46-10) struggled for answers all day against Dean, managing just two hits - both on home runs in the first 2.1 innings. The Cavaliers scored in the opening inning on a Grovatt two-run homer to right field. The long ball was Grovatt's seventh of the season.
Boston College (29-27) answered with a run in the second inning when Anthony Melchionda hit a one-out double down the right-field line, moved to third on a balk and scored on a Mike Sudol sacrifice fly.
The Cavaliers used the long ball to score again in the third inning when Phil Gosselin homered onto the hillside behind the left-center field wall for his eighth dinger of the year. The hit was UVa's final one until the eighth inning.
Winiarski faced the minimum nine batters from the fourth through sixth innings before Boston College forged ahead with a three-run seventh inning. Mickey Wiswall led off with a single and scored on a two-run home run to right-center by John Spatola, which tied the game. Melchionda then doubled on the next pitch, which spelled the end of the day for Winiarski. Wilson entered in relief and allowed a run-scoring double to Sudol to give BC the 4-3 lead, but he buckled down to strand Sudol at third and prevent further damage.
The Cavaliers rallied with three runs in the eighth. Pinch hitter Stephen Bruno (Fr., Audubon, N.J.) coaxed a leadoff walk from Dean, who was replaced by reliever Taylor Lasko. Keith Werman (So., Vienna, Va.) sacrificed Bruno to second on a two-strike pitch, and Gosselin followed with a single to move Bruno to third. Tyler Cannon (Sr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) then singled in Bruno to tie the game. Grovatt drew a walk to load the bases, and Matt Brazis came on to face Parker, who ripped a single up the middle to plate Gosselin and Cannon and give UVa a 6-4 lead.
Boston College threatened in the ninth when Melchionda singled to center with one out and Sudol walked. Arico entered and struck out pinch hitter Matt McGovern. The runners advanced to second and third on a passed ball before Arico whiffed Matt Watson to end the game.
Virginia continues ACC play at 4 p.m. Thursday when it battles No. 5 seed Florida State.
This was a big win for the Hoos. I think Winiarski is our 4th best starting pitcher right now, with freshman fireballer Branden Kline pitching so well as of late. To win a game that Winiarski started is a great thing, especially against BC's ace, on a day Dean was straight dealing. My only regret is how much Tyler Wilson pitched. He'll probably be available for Saturday's game, but not before.
With Florida State losing to Miami last night, these are the standings in division A in the ACC Championship:
#1 Virginia 1-0
#4 Miami 1-0
#5 Florida State 0-1
#8 Boston College 0-1
This afternoon's game against FSU doesn't matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. Our would-be berth in Sunday's championship game hangs in the balance on Saturday, when we play Miami. Win or lose today, a win on Saturday advances us to the championship game. Ties are broken by the head-to-head, and if more than two teams are tied at 2-1, the highest seed advances. So we're in really good shape right now.
Robert Morey is scheduled to start the game against FSU today, Danny Hultzen on Saturday against Miami, and Kline on Sunday if we make it to the championship game.
GO HOOS!
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