The Virginia baseball team will be looking to advance to the College World Series for the second time in school history this weekend, and the second time in three years, as they take on UC Irvine Saturday at Davenport Field in Super Regionals.
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The Cavaliers and Anteaters met in the postseason two years ago, with UVA winning the Regional in California, and Irvine head coach Mike Gillespie hasn't forgotten about Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen.
"It was clear even then when he was a freshman, he was special, and he was going to be 'specialer,'" Gillespie said, with a laugh, "and he's turned out to be that."The Anteaters coach says he's impressed with the #2 overall selection in the Major League Baseball draft. "If he were to sign relatively early, he'd pitch in the big leagues this year, I think," says Gillespie. "If he doesn't, then he's pitching in the big leagues next year."
Irvine junior Matt Summers was drafted in the 4th round. He'll start Game One for the Anteaters, and says he's not concerned with the Virginia ace.
Summers says, "I'm not worried about who the other pitcher is, because I have no effect on him, and he has no effect on me. I know our guys, our offense is going to do whatever they can to support me, get me some runs against him, and all I'm thinking about is who's up to bat."
The Virginia offense will be a much bigger concern for Summers, as the Cavaliers are averaging over eight runs per game in their last seven games, all of them wins. Summers says, "We got our approach, and we're ready to go. We've looked over certain guys, and their tendencies, and I'm ready to pitch them."
UVA head coach Brian O'Connor says, "The last seven games that we've played, we've deserved to win every one of the games, because we've done the fundamental things it takes to be successful."
Both teams expect the games to be close this weekend. UVA sophomore shortstop Chris Taylor says, "I know how tough it's gonna be, how hard it's gonna be to get where we want to be. We really have to stay focused, and play as hard as we can."
Gillespie adds, "They're very well schooled. There's no flaw in their game, and it looks to me like there's a variety of ways they can play and win, there seems to be no weakness to me."Virginia and UC Irvine will begin play in the three-game Super Regional series Saturday at 1pm at Davenport Field.