Facing the very first Richmond batter of the game, Virginia starter Kyle Whitten used a mix of speeds to work a swinging strikeout. It was as good a start as possible for Whitten and the Cavaliers.
But from there, it was all downhill.
Whitten didn’t last a full inning, and the Wahoos were held to seven hits in an 11-3 loss to Richmond on Tuesday night. The listless performance was not indicative of a team clawing for its NCAA Tournament life.
“The ball club tonight looked like a completely different team than last night,” said head coach Brian O’Connor, whose team beat Georgia Tech on Monday night. “We didn’t play very well in any phase of the game.”
The loss to Richmond was the third midweek defeat this season for the Cavaliers, who also have lost to VMI and VCU. Last season, UVa didn’t lose any such games.
“Based on where we’re at,” O’Connor said, “NCAA-wise, things like that, you can’t afford a midweek loss.”
That was a quote from April 27. It still rings very true two weeks later. The Cavaliers’ postseason hopes almost certainly rest on winning the ACC Tournament — an event they’ve yet to clinch a spot in heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
But winning the ACC Tournament is a far cry for a team that was dominated on its home field by the fourth-place team in the Atlantic 10 on Tuesday night. A night after a feel-good win over Georgia Tech that went deep into the night, the Cavaliers appeared sapped of energy. It was the first loss in the O’Connor era to Richmond — UVa had won 13 straight against the Spiders dating back to 2003.
“I do think we lacked energy,” O’Connor said. “I think it’s fair to say that we didn’t necessarily bring it as a team.”
Virginia used five pitchers, all of whom allowed runs. Whitten was given a one-hour notice that he was starting because previously scheduled starter Bobby Nicholson was unavailable. It is unclear why he wasn’t available and what his status is going forward. Whitten allowed two runs and got two outs.
Mack Meyer faced eight batters and recorded two outs. Blake Rohm, who was fairly effective, still allowed a two-run homer that cleared the left-field bleachers. Jake McCarthy, playing in center field, booted two ground balls for errors.
The only good news of the night was the return of Sunday starter Evan Sperling. He’s been out since March 18. The bad news is he allowed three hits, a walk and two runs in his return.
“I was going out there to try and get our team back in the dugout with some energy,” Sperling said. “That was my intention. I wasn’t just going out there to just be in the game. It didn’t go as I hoped.”
Entering Tuesday, Richmond starter Brendan McGuigan had recorded 23 outs all season. He dominated Virginia over five innings, allowing just one hit. He struck out three and walked one batter — the first of the game, who was promptly thrown out trying to steal.
Vinny Capra was 4-for-5 with three RBI and a two-run home run for UR. Tyler Plantier hit a long two-run homer, Sage Bruhl had three RBI and Kyle Adams scored three runs during the offensive showcase by the Spiders, who have scored 11 runs only twice since Feb. 23.
The Cavaliers mostly emptied their bench in the latter innings, with only two position starters remaining in the game. Grant Donahue pitched for the first time in more than a month.
“If they laid down out there and started kicking the ball around and get beat 13-2, then I’d question how they’re handling things,” O’Connor said after a one-run loss to Clemson on April 29.
It wasn’t quite 13-2 against the Spiders, but it equaled Virginia’s most lopsided loss of the season, in the season’s final home game.
“We didn’t play up to our capability,” O’Connor said, “and there’s not a lot else to say other than that.”