Virginia Excited For Electric Atmosphere In NCAA Regional

A little less than a year ago, fans flocked to Davenport Field at Disharoon Park for postseason Virginia baseball.

A record sold-out crowd celebrated when the Hoos launched a home run or fired a strikeout pitch. Fans pounded the seats and the walls to urge on the Hoos inning after inning. They most certainly shouted and roared when a come-from-behind Super Regional victory sent the team back to Omaha for the College World Series.

Long story short. It was an electric atmosphere that the players and coaches easily remember. UVA supporters get a chance to recreate some of that home magic this weekend when the program hosts an NCAA Tournament Regional for the second straight year and the 11th time in its history.

“We’re pumped,” Virginia pitcher Evan Blanco told The Daily Progress’ Greg Madia. “I mean playing in front of a crowd like this in a stadium like this, you can’t beat it. The atmosphere here last year during this time of year was unbelievable and I’m looking forward to it again.”

This is the program’s 18th NCAA Tournament appearance under O’Connor with 11 chances to host the opening round. While that may make it seem like an easy thing to achieve, it isn’t. Starting the NCAA Tournament journey at home is far from a given with the competitive landscape across college baseball. In fact, UVA is one of just four teams to host a regional in back-to-back seasons.

O’Connor reminded reporters and in turn fans of the privilege during his comments following the chance to host.

“I’m really excited for our players to experience NCAA baseball in this stadium because there’s a number of them that haven’t had that opportunity because this is their first year for us,” Cavalier coach Brian O’Connor said. “It’s different. We all know that. I said last year after hosting the Regional and Super Regional, that this is why we expanded this stadium. It’s for these kind of opportunities for our players and for our fans. ... This place will be full and it will be electric. It’s a reward for the fans as much as it is for the players.”

This year’s Regional quartet likely has a familiar feel to long-time Virginia baseball fans. The top seed UVA (41-15) is joined by two seed Mississippi State (38-21), three seed St. John’s (37-16-1), and four seed Penn (24-23). The double elimination format begins at noon on Friday.

Both MSU and St. John’s have appeared in Charlottesville for the postseason before. The Bulldogs won a 2013 Super Regional against UVA with 11-6 and 6-5 victories. The Red Storm came to town in 2010 and 2011 for Regional pod play. The Wahoos eliminated them in 2010 in the final, 5-3, and notched a 10-2 win in a non-elimination game in 2011. That victory was part of the run to the program’s second College World Series appearance with an iconic Super Regional against UC Irvine occurring the following week.

While that air of familiarity is there, however, Coach O’Connor quickly steered the focus to the one unfamiliar team in the group in Penn. The Cavaliers have never faced Penn in the postseason and the programs will face off for the first time since 1953 in the opening game of the Regional. The Hoos and Quakers open play with the 12 p.m. game on Friday on ESPN+

It likely didn’t take much to get the team’s attention. Penn returned to the NCAA Tournament field for the second straight season by winning the Ivy League Tournament as the four seed, including three straight wins out of the loser’s bracket in that event. That’s a team with a little bit of momentum. Plus, the Quakers knocked off host Auburn in the opening round last season and then won a winner’s bracket game with Samford to make the Regional Final.

“I believe they went 2-0 last season in the regional, they were the 2-0 team after the first two days,” O’Connor said. “So their coaching staff, their players know and understand what it takes to win at this time of year. Our focus will be solely on what do we have to do to beat Penn.”

One thing that the Wahoos may need to keep going in the postseason: the offense. They enter the NCAA Tournament with some lofty numbers at the plate. They rank No. 2 nationally with a .341 batting average, No. 4 with 691 hits, No. 4 with a .589 slugging percentage, No. 6 with a .431 on-base percentage, No. 7 with 138 doubles, and No. 9 with 113 home runs.

Some top individual numbers have propelled that success. Bobby Whalen ranks No. 13 nationally with a .403 batting average. Griff O’Ferrall is tied for No. 30 with 86 hits. Harrison Didawick is tied for No. 18 with 23 home runs, tied for No. 22 with 72 runs scored, and tied for No. 44 with 67 RBIs. Didawick is tied with Jake Gelof for UVA’s all-time single season home run record set just last year.

The Hoos have been rolling since the return from the exam break as well. In nine games with a 6-3 record, Virginia has belted 30 home runs and scored 5 runs or more in every game.

“It’s been quite impressive the power of which our team has hit home runs with, all year long really. It’s been really, really impressive,” O’Connor said. “You believe that they’ve done it all year that that’s going to continue. We don’t know what the weather is going to be like this weekend. Is the wind going to be blowing in, is it going to be blowing out? But you’re seeing the power all over college baseball. It’s crazy. ... It’s part of who we are and we need to produce in that aspect for us to continue to play winning baseball.”

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