Virginia Punches Ticket, Will Face OU

Originally Published: Jun 7, 2010 8:21 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia – The Virginia baseball team defeated St. John’s 5-3 Monday, assuring that OU will have to hit the road to face the Cavaliers in Super Regional play.

Virginia managed to manufacture runs early in the game, scoring once in each of the first four innings despite connecting on no-extra base hits. St. John’s scored a run of its own in the third on a solo home run by Paul Karmas, which cut the lead to 4-1.

The Red Storm made things interesting late in the game. It loaded the bases with only one out in sixth inning, when Jeremy Baltz outran a possible double-play ball to plate one runner. Jimmy Parque followed with an RBI single to cut the lead to one.

St. John’s advanced runners to third base in each of the seventh and eighth innings, but failed to drive them in both times.

Virginia threatened to blow the game open when it loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh. Jarrett Parker drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-3, but John Hicks followed by grounding into a double play to end the threat.

Brandon Kline (5-0) earned the win after holding St. John’s to three runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Kyle Hansen (8-3) was credited with the loss and lasted only 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on six hits, all of which were singles.

Virginia’s victory avoided a major upset and clinched the Cavaliers’ trip to a Super Regional, where it will face the Sooners. UVA is currently ranked in the nation’s three by all major ranking systems, guaranteeing that it will host its Super Regional.

The two teams will face each other Friday, but a specific time has not yet been announced.