⚾ UVA Baseball Game Thread: 1 - 7 April 2024 (ODU, UNC series)

Top of the 7th, RHP Ryan Osinski takes over on the mound for the HOOS. Madera to lead off for UNC.

  • Madera hits a hard grounder back up the middle, but Osinski is able to stab it and throw to 1st for the out. One down for Wilkerson.
  • Wilkerson on the next pitch hits another one back up the middle, but GOF is shifted over perfectly to field it and throw to 1st for the out. Two down for Honeycutt.
  • Honeycutt on a full count K’s (1) looking. We got a makeup call on the 3-2 pitch one but it ends the frame.

7th inning stretch time, game is tied at 11.

Bottom of the 7th, Pence still on the mound for UNC. Hanson to lead off for the HOOS.

  • Hanson flies out to Donofrio in RCF. One down for Becker.
  • Becker K’s swinging. Two down for GOF.
  • GOF flies out to Honeycutt in LCF, he staggered and almost lost the ball in the wind. That ends the inning.

Heading into the 8th, game is tied at 11.

1 Like

Top of the 8th, Osinski still on the mound for the HOOS. Cook to lead off for UNC.

  • Cook on a full count bounces one to Ford who waits for the hop and takes it unassisted to 1st for the out. One down for Harber.
  • Harber rips a base hit into LF. One on and one down for Donofrio.
  • Mound visit for UVA, BOC out for a chat. Pitching change incoming. LHP Angelo Tonas takes over on the mound for the HOOS.
  • Donofrio K’s (1) looking on three pitches. One on and two down for Osuna.
  • Mound visit for UVA, BOC out for a chat. Pitching change incoming. RHP Matt Augustin takes over on the mound for the HOOS.
  • Osuna K’s (1) swinging to end the frame and Augustin is pumped up.

Middle of the 8th, game is still tied.

Bottom of the 8th, Pence still on the mound for UNC. Whalen to lead off for the HOOS.

  • Whalen K’s swinging. One down for Saucke.
  • Saucke flies out to Donofrio in shallow RCF. Two down for Ford.
  • HENRY MOTHERFUCKING FORD. SOLO SHOT ONTO THE LCF CLUBHOUSE GIVES UVA THE LEAD 12-11. THIRD OF THE GAME AND 10TH ON THE SEASON. Nobody on and two down for Didawick, goddamn.
  • Mound visit for UNC as Didawick gets ahead 2-0.
  • Didawick walks on four pitches. One on and two down for Ference.
  • Mound visit for UNC. Pitching change incoming. RHP Connor Bovair takes over on the mound for UNC. Jackson Van De Brake takes over at 3rd.
  • Ference rips one down the LF line into the corner. Didawick comes all the way around to score, 13-11 HOOS. Ference ends up with an RBI double, runner on 2nd and two down for Anderson.
  • Anderson on the next pitch rips one off the RF wall over the glove of Donofrio. Ference scores, 14-11 HOOS. EA ends up with an RBI double, runner on 2nd and two down for Hanson.
  • Hanson flies out to Donofrio in RF to end the inning.

Heading into the 9th, HOOS now lead 14-11.

Let’s close this one out.

7 Likes

Some great players have come through the program, but this kid’s legend is building early.

10 Likes

Top of the 8th, Augustin still on the mound for the HOOS. Stevenson to lead off for UNC.

  • Stevenson on the first pitch pops out to Becker in shallow RCF. One down for Van De Brake.
  • Van De Brake pops out to Becker at 2nd. Two down for Madera.
  • Madera grounds out to GOF at short and that ends it!!!
1 Like

Question because I’ve never sat there, and it’s all that’s available on Saturday…are the general admission seats in the OF bleacher style or seats with backs?

1 Like

Bleacher style. Only ones that are seat back in the OF are the LCF clubhouse seats.

2 Likes

HOOS take game one of the series 14-11 in another barn burner and improve to 24-6 (8-5) on the season. UNC drops to 25-5 (10-3).

We’ll see you tomorrow as UVA tries to take the series 6PM at The Dish.

DO NOT DOUBT THIS TEAM.

9 Likes

That’s a huge win.

6 Likes

Lots of the praise will be given to the bats tonight and rightfully so, but I do wanna shoutout our bullpen for shutting UNC down and holding them scoreless for the final six innings of the game. Barker/Osinski/Tonas/Augustin all were huge tonight, absolutely need more of that going forward if we’re gonna keep winning ballgames.

But can’t leave without mentioning HENRY MFING FORD. What a performance, three BOMBS and 6 RBI’s on the night. Told you guys at the start of this season, this kid is just special. Need to appreciate him while he’s still here.

9 Likes

What a game. Ford was unreal. But the bullpen found their stuff and sat down I think 17 of the final 19 they faced. Looked like different arms out there than any time this season (other than Hungate who got touched up some).

Great, entertaining game tonight. Bullpen showing that moxie was fantastic. Maybe this gets the mentality and approach right for the staff and we can use it as a spark plug.

4 Likes

https://x.com/UVABaseball/status/1776074805558587528

4 Likes

Will go ahead and say there’ll probably be no PBP from me for tomorrow’s game as I’ll be in attendance at The Dish (assuming nothing comes up). So if anyone wants to take over or just provide updates periodically be my guest, if not I’ll try to give some brief updates from my phone in between innings or whenever I have the time. Might not be super consistent though.

8 Likes

So what makes Ford and Didawick draft-eligible sophomores? Age?

2 Likes

Yeah apparently they both make the age cutoff for their respective Sophomore years.

Honestly even with the great season he’s having I think Diddy could use another year here, he could be a legit top 2 round guy in 2025 with a little bit more seasoning at the plate. Still has a high strikeout rate even with the discipline he’s added to his game.

Not sure what the early prognosis is on Ford’s draft stock, and I know that 1st baseman will occasionally get dinged for not being as highly valued as guys who have more positional flexibility, but I would imagine he’s gonna be considered one of the highest rated bats in the 2025 class. His power to all fields, swing, and approach at the plate are all so advanced, reminds me a bit of Kris Bryant.

4 Likes

Ford’s exit velocity alone is catching the eyes of MLB scouts, not to mention his sheer power. Sat with a friend of the family at a game recently and was told “the staff hasn’t altered anything about Ford’s approach to hitting since he arrived “.

9 Likes

https://x.com/monty2740/status/1776079620166562227?s=46&t=ZfcH1SjUScYr3H56wBCkeQ

3 Likes

Whoever the hitting coach is at Baylor deserves to be better known. Ford was good already, but he just exploded there.

1 Like

I don’t think we have ever seen a player like Henry Ford. Is he the best player in program history? Probably not, at least not yet. But what he does on seemingly a nightly basis is just jaw dropping. And to drop the jaws of a fanbase who has seen some incredibly talented young players come through the program means something.

2 Likes

They weren’t hitting the HRs Ford is, but Zimmerman and Doolittle were awesome all three years each was in the program.

Others up there: Fisher, Proscia, the Gelof brothers, Parker, Teel, Haseley, Smith….

Also loved Dan Street, right before Oak arrived, and Ryan Gilleland.

Kenny Towns too