CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Casey Saucke and Henry Ford combined for four hits and three RBI, helping Virginia defeat Kansas State 10-4 to sweep the Charlottesville Super Regional on Saturday.
Virginia (46-15) advanced to the College World Series for the seventh time, all since 2009. The Cavaliers won the national championship in 2015.
Saucke had two hits, an RBI and scored twice; Ford had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored; and Luke Hanson put the icing on the victory with a three-run double in the ninth inning.
Virginia scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth.
In the first, Saucke hit a two-out solo home run to open the scoring. The second run was set up by an infield single, a wild pitch and a walk prior to Harrison Didawick's singled to right center for the second run. Four batters reached base after two were out.
In the fifth inning with the score tied at 2, Eric Becker was thrown out at home trying to score on a bases-loaded grounder by Saucke but the Cavaliers reloaded the bases for Ford, who hit a two-run single.
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝟏𝟏𝟖𝟔 𝐢𝐬 𝐎𝐦𝐚𝐡𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝!
— Virginia Baseball (@UVABaseball) June 8, 2024
Sights and sounds from the final out!
📺: ESPNU | #GoHoos | #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/tAWLq4iOUH
The Cavaliers picked up a run in the eighth on an RBI-double by Becker and took a 5-4 lead to the ninth inning. Josh Wintroub came on in relief for K-State (35-26) and gave up a two-out, two-run triple to Jacob Ference. Wintroub then loaded the bases, was pulled from the game and was charged with three more runs when Hanson doubled down the left-field line off JJ Slack.
Jay Woolfolk (6-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked two batters. Chase Hungate got the save, his second, after pitching two perfect innings.
Jackson Wentworth (5-6) took the loss.
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