Trailing by five runs and down to its last three outs, the No. 23 Virginia baseball team erupted for eight runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 10-8 win over California on Saturday at Stu Gordon Stadium in Berkeley, California.
The Cavaliers (11-6, 2-3 ACC) trailed 7-2 entering the ninth inning, only to rally and earn their sixth come-from-behind victory and even the weekend series with the Golden Bears (9-9, 2-3 ACC).
“I’ll tell you what, that was as good a come-from-behind victory as I’ve seen in this program in 22 years,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said in the post-game media availability.
Pinch-hitters Chone James and Walker Buchanan opened the ninth inning with back-to-back singles before a Luke Hanson single loaded the bases for UVa with no outs. Aidan Teel was hit by a pitch to plate James before an Aiden Harris walk scored Buchanan to make it a 7-4 contest.
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Eric Becker beat the throw to first on an RBI infield single that scored Hanson, then a Henry Ford RBI groundout brought home Teel to bring Virginia within a run, 7-6.
After James Nunnallee was hit by a pitch to reload the bases, James came to the plate for the second time in the inning and put the Cavaliers ahead for the first time with a two-run double to right center that scored Becker and Harris.
In Buchanan’s second at bat of the inning, the sophomore added some insurance with a two-RBI double to right center that pushed the Virginia advantage to 10-7.
Cal worked a pair of one-out walks in the bottom of the ninth and scratched across a run before Matt Lanzendorfer got a fly out in foul territory to secure the 10-8 comeback victory and his second save of the season.
Virginia will look to take the series against Cal on Sunday in the weekend finale. Lefty Evan Blanco (0-0) is slated to start for the Hoos against the Bears’ right-hander Ethan Foley (2-0). First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. Eastern on ACC Network Extra and WINA (98.9 FM/1070 AM).
