Virginia, Texas set for elimination battle at CWS after 'Hoos suffer tough loss to MSU

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College World Series: Virginia vs. Texas in Omaha, Neb., 7 p.m. ESPN2

The Wahoos took a 4-0 lead against Mississippi State on Tuesday, and Griff McGarry took a no-hitter into the eighth, but the Bulldogs rallied for a 6-4 lead and then held on for a 6-5 victory. Each of Virginia's three playoff losses have come by one run. The Cavaliers find themselves back in a familiar spot -- the losers' bracket, where they have done quite a bit of damage this postseason, going 6-0 in elimination games.

Virginia was hot right away versus the Bulldogs, and the players seemed to be brimming with confidence after their shutout win over Tennessee. Zack Gelof led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, Max Cotier advanced him over with a bunt, and Kyle Teel singled Gelof across the plate. In the second, Chris Newell, Gelof, and Cotier collected RBIs to make it 4-0. But the Cavaliers had a golden opportunity to put MSU in an even bigger hole. With one out, UVa loaded the bases, but Bulldogs reliever Preston Johnson struck out Nic Kent and Alex Tappen in consecutive at bats.

McGarry (in photo) was lights out through seven innings, striking out eight. But with one out in the eighth, he allowed his first and only hit of the night -- a two-run homer by Kellum Clark. Zach Messinger entered in relief but couldn't get an out, allowing a single and a double. On the single, Josh Hatcher hit the ball toward Kent at shortstop. Kent backhanded the ball but had a tough play to get the out. He slipped a bit as he was throwing to Jake Gelof at first base, and Gelof stretched to his right but could not get to the ball, which bounced past him. On the double, Newell had a chance to catch the fly ball hit to center field by Rowdey Jordan, but it flew over his head. Hatcher had to hold up at third base. Jordan was digging for third but had to stop halfway between second and third when he realized Hatcher had not gone home. Luckily for the Bulldogs and unfortunately for the Cavaliers, no one was covering second base, so Jordan got back safely. Stephen Schoch (4-2, 3.00) entered, but his stuff was not there, and he ended up taking the loss when Tanner Allen's three-run homer gave MSU a 5-4 lead. Nate Savino came in, and he got the final out of the inning, but not before Scotty Dubrule got an RBI single to make it 6-4.

In the Virginia eighth, Newell hit a surprise homer to left field that carried and carried until it went over the wall to make it 6-5. Cotier singled, and then Teel came up to face MSU's stud closer, Landon Sims, who just entered the game, with two outs. Teel swung at the first pitch and put a pretty good hit on the ball, but it went right to Allen in right field. UVa did not threaten in the ninth.

Despite a second consecutive excellent outing, McGarry (0-5, 5.44) still has not picked up a win this year.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda. After seven innings, Virginia was in really good position to earn this win and wait until Friday to play Texas or Mississippi State. But it didn't take advantage of a bases-loaded situation in the second when it already had momentum, and then the bullpen was not at its sharpest late in the game. Also, the Cavaliers had a chance to get Jordan out at second when he overran the bag and didn't do it. That would've made Allen's home run good for only two runs instead of three. In that situation, Newell's homer would've tied the game 5-5.

So now, Virginia gets another chance to show what it is made of in an elimination game. Mike Vasil (16 appearances, 15 starts, 7-5, 4.82, 65 strikeouts, 17 walks) appears to be getting the start for the Cavaliers. Texas will go with Pete Hansen (18 appearances, 13 starts, 9-1, 1.79, 74 strikeouts, 21 walks). Over their previous five starts, Hansen has been much more effective than Vasil.
I think Virginia is going to really have to bring the lumber and take advantage of every opportunity on offense to have a shot. And the bullpen will need to be on point and ready to roll at a moment's notice. Here's a bit more on the Longhorns:

Texas
Seed: No. 1 seed at Austin Regional; No. 2 national seed
Record: 48-16, 17-7 Big 12, 3-0 in Austin Regional (one win each over Southern, Arizona State, and Fairfield), 2-0 at Austin Super Regional (beat South Florida), 1-1 at CWS (lost to Mississippi State, beat Tennessee)
Win streak: One
Last 10 games: 8-2
CWS appearances: NCAA-leading 37th, first since 2018; six championships: 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, 2005; that ranks tied for No. 2 with LSU, behind USC, which has 12
History against UVa: First meeting
Team batting average: .278
BA leaders: Mitchell Daly (.325), Ivan Melendez (.316), Cam Williams (.301), Zach Zubia (.291)
RBI leaders: Zubia (57), Williams (49), Melendez (46), Mike Antico (44)
HR leaders: Melendez (12), Williams (11), Zubia and Antico (10)
SB leaders: Antico (40, No. 2 nationally), Eric Kennedy (18), Trey Faltine and Daly (7)
Team ERA: 2.89 (No. 1 nationally)
Common opponents with UVa: Texas went a combined 4-2 against Mississippi State (0-2), South Carolina (3-0), and Tennessee (1-0). Virginia went a combined 2-2 against Mississippi State (0-1; hopefully will meet the Bulldogs again), South Carolina (1-1), and Tennessee (1-0).

Photo credit: UVa Athletics

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