Hoos on top: Virginia downs DBU to tie Columbia Super Regional series
Virginia extended its stay in South Carolina for another day.
The Cavaliers scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday to defeat Dallas Baptist 4-0 and even the best-of-three Super Regional series at Founders Park.
The decisive final game is set for Monday at 1 p.m.
“I’m so proud and excited to be part of this team,” Virginia pitcher Griff McGarry said. “It is a special group of guys who want to go through the finish line. It was a whole team effort of guys that know how to win.”
Virginia arrived in the Palmetto State on June 2 to play in the Columbia Regional, and they’ve been in town ever since. They won the regional and stayed in town when the NCAA announced the University of South Carolina’s ballpark would also host the Super Regional.
Neither Dallas Baptist nor Virginia, both No. 3 seeds in their regionals, put in a bid to host.
Virginia has had its backs against the wall since arriving in Columbia. The Cavs lost their first game in the regional before winning the next four to advance to the Super Regional.
Virginia lost the opener of the Super Regional on Saturday 6-5, then bounced back Sunday to force a deciding game. The Cavs are looking for their first trip to College World Series since 2015, while Dallas Baptist has never made it to Omaha.
The Patriots are in their second Super Regional since moving up from Division II to Division I in 2004.
The Cavs used a pair of homers from Zack Gelof and Alex Tappen and an unlikely pitching performance from McGarry to force the deciding game.
McGarry, who was one of the team’s top pitchers to start the season, came into the game with an 0-5 record and an ERA of 7.53. He was brilliant Sunday, pitching seven-plus shutout innings.
McGarry allowed two hits, walked three and struck out 10 and left with the game 0-0 in the top of the eighth.
“He put us on his back today,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “He was our No. 2 starter this year but then hardly pitched for us for a month. He kept working and made adjustments. His spirit never changed. He was excited for his teammates. ... It is amazing when you keep believing in yourself.”
Gelof led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a solo homer. Then with two outs and two on, Tappen crushed a homer to the bleachers in left field to make it 4-0. The homer brought the UVa fans to their feet, chanting “U-V-A! U-V-A!”
Dallas Baptist got the first two runners on in the top of the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs. But UVa’s Kyle Whitten got George Specht to fly out to end the game. It was the Cavaliers’ ninth shutout in 99 NCAA tournament games.
Brandon Neeck got the win in relief and Whitten got the save. It was just second time Dallas Baptist has been shut out all season.
“We gave away some opportunities. We got picked off twice, couldn’t get a sac bunt down,” Dallas Baptist coach Dan Heefner said. “But We are grateful we have an opportunity tomorrow.”
Dallas Baptist stranded eight runners on base and couldn’t get the key hit when it needed.
The Patriots got a strong performance from starting pitcher Rhett Kouba, pitched seven scoreless before running into trouble in the eighth. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits while striking out five in 7 1/3 innings pitched.
Columbia NCAA Super Regional schedule
Who: Dallas Baptist vs. Virginia, Game 3
When: Monday at 1 p.m.
Where: Founders Park
Watch: ESPNU
This story was originally published June 13, 2021 at 3:28 PM.
