CHARLOTTESVILLE – When Jacob Ference reached third base in the top of the ninth inning, the Virginia catcher smiled toward his dugout and raised both hands with his thumbs against his fingers. The Salisbury University graduate transfer had every reason to show off the money gesture: His two-run triple ignited a five-run rally that propelled the No. 12 Cavaliers to a 10-4 victory over Kansas State in the super regionals of the NCAA baseball tournament. Saturday at Disharoon Park.
The best-of-three series sweep secured Virginia (46-15) a berth in the College World Series for the third time in four seasons and seventh time in program history, all under coach Brian O’Connor. who in 2015 led the Cavaliers to their only national championship. The College World Series begins Friday in Omaha.
Virginia never trailed as it won its fifth straight game and ninth in 10 games. Timely hits continued to fuel the Cavaliers, who finished the super regional round with 10 RBIs with two outs, including seven in the deciding game.
“Going through three of the last four years is not normal, and I think it’s important to realize that as a team,” Virginia shortstop Griff O’Ferrall said. “Every trip is different. This season had more twists and turns than last year’s season. We have been through many challenges throughout this season, but we are seeing the entire team come together at the right time. “Everyone knew that the coaches had put us in a position to play our best ball at this time.”
Jay Woolfolk worked 6⅓ innings for the Cavaliers, allowing six hits and three runs. The junior right-hander struck out seven and walked two in 102 pitches.
Reliever Chase Hungate closed with two perfect innings to earn his second save; he threw his glove over his head after striking out Chuck Ingram with a swing to end the game. Hungate’s teammates ran out of the dugout to celebrate on the mound to the delight of another crowd of 5,919.
“It definitely means a little bit more,” Woolfolk said of earning the victory that sent Virginia to the College World Series in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2014 and 2015. “I didn’t have the best start to the year. Coach OC always tells us that it’s not about how you start; That’s how you end up. I didn’t have my best time today, but I was just fighting. Honestly, that’s the easiest way to pitch. Everyone knows that we have one of the most important crimes in the country. You throw a little more comfortably.”
Virginia was looking to add to its 5-4 lead in the ninth when Ference stepped up to the plate against Wildcats reliever Josh Wintroub and hit the first pitch to right-center field, bringing home Casey Saucke and Ethan Anderson. Ference was the first of three runners to score moments later on a bases-clearing double by pinch-hitter Luke Hanson down the left field line.
Tension increased in the eighth with the Cavaliers looking to protect a two-run lead. The margin was reduced to 5-4 when Kyan Lodice led off with a home run against Angelo Tonas; O’Connor headed back to his bullpen and called out to Hungate. The junior needed just seven pitches to retire the next three batters.
“So many moments today and over the last two weeks,” O’Connor said. “As the leader of the program, you are very proud of them and what they represent as young men. That’s the biggest thing I’m proud of about them. We have great men who represent this program in the right way. They are tigers. “I won’t be able to wipe the smile off my face because they will have the opportunity to come back to Omaha.”
The Cavaliers loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth, but were in danger of stranding all three runners until Henry Ford came into the batter’s box to face Kansas State starter Jackson Wentworth. On an 0-1 count, the rookie catcher hit a fastball down the third base line to drive in O’Ferrall and Bobby Whalen for a 4-2 lead.
Brendan Jones’ two-out homer in the bottom of the inning brought the Wildcats (35-26) within one, and Lodice followed with a triple that Whalen couldn’t locate in center field. But Woolfolk extinguished the threat by sending Kaelen Culpepper flying.
“They are the gold standard of college baseball,” said Kansas State coach Pete Hughes, who coached at Virginia Tech from 2007 to 2013. “They are driven and fueled by Omaha every year. The programs that are the gold standard are the ones that can refuel, recharge, and race your way to Omaha. That’s where we need to be. That’s where we are inspired to be.”
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