Virginia vs Oklahoma - NCAA Super Regionals Game 1 Recap

Virginia 3, Oklahoma 2 - Cavaliers lead series, 1-0

Playoff baseball games at any level of competition should be showcases for high-level pitching and elevated defense in an atmosphere thick with intensity and energy.

The first game of the Oklahoma-Virginia collision certainly looked, cooked, breathed and felt like a big-time baseball battle.

With visions of Omaha dancing in the heads of baseball-playing boys, Virginia took Game 1 of its NCAA Super Regional series with Oklahoma, winning 3-2 on Saturday night at Davenport Field. The Cavaliers, the tournament's No. 5 national seed, used a pair of home runs and a strong outing from ace Danny Hultzen to take the lead in the series.

All of Virginia's runs came from the long ball, with Phil Gosselin hitting a solo homer and Dan Grovatt adding a two-run homer. Gosselin, who was 2-for-4 on the day, provided the big jolt the Cavalier offense needed.

Hultzen improved to 11-1 on the season with the win. He pitched eight innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Kevin Arico pitched a scoreless ninth inning to record his 18th save of the season. Michael Rocha (7-2) took the loss for Oklahoma after allowing three earned runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.

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Virginia took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Cavaliers' first batter of the game, Gosselin, hit a leadoff homer to left center. Oklahoma, matching the magnitude of the moment, drew even with a run in the top of the fifth. Max White was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and scored on Chris Ellison's two-out RBI single.

The Sooners took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth. Tyler Ogle reached with a one-out single. After moving to second on a groundout, he scored on White's two-out single.

Then came the big bopper who delivered the big blow in this taut, tense tussle. The Cavaliers retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Keith Werman led off the inning with a double, which was followed by Grovatt's two-run homer to right, giving UVA a 3-2 lead. Just when momentum was sliding toward the visitors from the Big 12 Conference, Grovatt got a hold of a Rocha pitch he could ride. Virginia didn't just get a lead with that shot; it received a fresh dose of confidence that carried to the pitcher's mound.

Hultzen - with help from centerfielder Jarrett Parker, who made a spectacular diving catch to end the eighth - kept OU at bay, and then Arico slammed the door to give the Hoos a leg up on Boomer Sooner. This deliciously hard-fought and pitching-rich passion play went to the UVA column by the slightest of margins.

Game two of the best-of-three series is Sunday. Game time is 4 p.m. Eastern, and the contest will be broadcast on ESPN and online at ESPN3.com.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer