CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (VirginiaSports.com) – Virginia (36-25) continues its play in the NCAA Men’s College World Series on Tuesday (June 22) against Mississippi State (46-16) at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. EST.
LEADING OFF
- Virginia improved to 4-1 in College World Series opening games with a 6-0 shutout over Tennessee on Sunday afternoon.
- The Cavaliers are 13-8 all-time in five total College World Series trips (2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2021).
- All five of the program’s College World Series appearances have come under head coach Brian O’Connor. The Cavaliers won the 2015 National Championship, the ACC’s first since 1955.
- O’Connor recorded his 750th career win on Sunday, the ninth most of any coach in ACC history. The victory was also his 55th NCAA Tournament win, the fourth most of any ACC coach.
- Virginia will be the home team on Tuesday. In the NCAA Tournament, Virginia has won all five games when it’s been designated the home team.
AGAINST MISSISSIPPI STATE
- Tuesday will be the third meeting between the Bulldogs and Cavaliers. Including Tuesday, all three will have come in the NCAA Tournament
- Mississippi State swept Virginia in the 2013 Charlottesville Super Regional winning 11-6 in game one and advanced to the College World Series with a 6-5 victory in game two.
- The Cavaliers are 16-15 against SEC schools in the O’Connor era (2004-present).
ON THE MOUND
- Right-hander Griff McGarry is expected to make his 11th start of the season. In two NCAA starts he has logged 10.1 innings allowed three runs and struck out 18 batters.
- In game two of the super regionals against Dallas Baptist, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and produced the first quality start of the NCAA postseason by allowing no runs over seven innings of work. He retired 11-straight batters from the third inning all the way until the first batter of the seventh.
- His start in the regional final against Old Dominion, McGarry struck out the first six batters he faced and totaled eight in 3.1 innings. He combined with Brandon Neeck for 24 strikeouts in the game, the third most ever in a nine-inning game in NCAA history.
- The Cavaliers have produced two shutouts in the NCAA postseason, both occurring in the last three games. Virginia has combined for six shutouts this season, tied for the most in the ACC. The shutout was the Cavaliers’ fourth in College World Series play and first since game two of the 2015 College World Series finals.
- In 38.2 total innings in the NCAA tournament, the Cavaliers bullpen is sporting a 1.86 ERA, allowing just eight earned runs. The Cavalier bullpen has not allowed a run in the last 11.2 innings.
- Righthander Matt Wyatt, who earned his first save of his career on Sunday, has not allowed a run in his last 13.2 innings pitched.
PLAYER NOTES/TRENDS
- Seven of the nine Virginia batters were responsible for the 13 Cavalier hits against Tennessee. Virginia is 22-3 this season when collection 10 or more hits.
- The Cavaliers have scored four runs in the seventh inning in each of its last three games.
- Logan Michaels hit his first home run of the season on Sunday and second of his career. The solo shot came in his first college world series at bat and gave Virginia a 1-0 advantage in the third inning.
- Michaels’ run-scoring single in the seventh was his 99th hit of his career. He has appeared in 113 games in a Cavalier uniform over the last three seasons. He’s looking to become the fifth active Cavalier to compile 100 career hits.
- Zack Gelof has a team-best 14 hits in the NCAA postseason after a three-hit performance on Sunday against Tennessee. He has scored a run in each of the last six games.
- Freshman Kyle Teel extended his reached base streak to 24 games after going 1-for-4 with a walk in his College World Series debut.
- Alex Tappen has reached base safely in 18-straight games and has a hit in all but one of his last 17 games played.
