CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Harrison Didawick hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth and later scored to give host Virginia a 5-4 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday night in the Charlottesville Regional.
Virginia (43-15), the No. 12 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, will play the St. John's-Mississippi State winner in the regional final on Sunday.
Bobby Whalen, who was 0 for 6 in the regional, hit a ground ball up the middle that bounced off 2nd baseman Amani Larry’s chest. Didawick, who had advanced to third on a fielder's choice, scored the game winner standing up.
Eric Becker hit a two-run triple in the second and a two-run single in the seventh for the Cavaliers.
Mississippi State (39-22) took a 3-2 lead in the third following Hunter Hines' three-run home run. In the fourth, Bryce Chance hit a single, later stole third and scored on a throwing error to make it 4-2.
Virginia’s Evan Blanco went six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and struck out seven. Jurrangelo Cijntje pitched seven innings for the Bulldogs, allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.
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