Exhausted by the annual Al Groh firing watch? Not geeked up about Tony Bennett’s low-scoring brand of basketball? Just because fall has barely arrived doesn’t mean it’s too early to grab a box of Cracker Jacks and spring forward to baseball season.
Last week, UVA released its baseball schedule, and this week, players dust off their gloves for the annual Orange and Blue series at Davenport Field, where UVA plays itself in free exhibition games. The baseball Cavaliers are coming off their best season in history, with a trip to Omaha, Nebraska, for the program’s first College World Series.
To make life easier for head coach Brian O’Connor, all of his starting line-up is back, from the big bat of center fielder Jarrett Parker, who led the team with 16 homeruns last year, to the nifty arm of pitcher Danny Hultzen, who went 9-1 last year. Add a top 10 recruiting class, and Virginia has the count in its favor to make a second trip to Omaha.
“On paper, they’re probably top five in the country,” says Brian Foley, editor of The College Baseball Blog. “They’ve just got so much talent coming back. They should be able to go back to Omaha and host a regional this year, but, you know, anything can happen.”
So how does that schedule set up? The nonconference portion includes early series against East Carolina and Rhode Island, both considered solid teams, while conference play will be as grueling as usual. The ACC has fielded some of college baseball’s finest teams in recent years, and once again boasts the most depth. The writers at The College Baseball Blog think five different ACC teams—Virginia, UNC, Georgia Tech, Florida State and Clemson —have a shot at earning one of the eight slots at the College World Series come June.
“Virginia and [Florida State] are really the class of the ACC right now heading into the season,” Foley says.
“Florida State loses a couple of hitters, but they bring back all of their pitching, which was young last year.”
The Cavaliers’ signature small ball will be in action at Davenport Field this week and next, with a ring ceremony to honor the 2009 team before the game on Friday, October 16. And unlike gridiron games played at Scott Stadium, those at Davenport, this fall at least, are guaranteed Wahoo wins.
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