Bringing the leather

by Jay Jenkins on February 27th, 2011

It happened to all three of Virginia’s outfielders.
Routine balls that should have been recorded as outs found a patch of grass to land during the second game of a series that was designed to match a pair of top-25 programs.
East Carolina is not there after a 2010 campaign that included tons of off-field drama.
Virginia (6-0) is slotted there in the polls, sitting and No. 10 and likely climbing, but simple plays will be needed in future weeks with ACC foes on the horizon.
During those three plays the services of Phil Gosselin, Dan Grovatt and Jarrett Parker were missed - greatly.
It is tough for Virginia fans to complain when they win a series against a baseball power of the likes of ECU (3-2), but the rotation in the outfield as long as shortstop Stephen Bruno is sidelined with an injury creates a head-scratching dilemma for the coaching staff.
Yes, the wind played tricks. Yes, the sun was brutal as I experienced during a short stint sitting in the Hoo Zone in leftt field. Yes, the new bats give different reads on balls.
I can only imagine the conversations that followed the miscues in the dugout, however.
The Cavaliers did win the game, the biggest thing for the massive crowd that braved the chilly temperatures hoping to watch something better than a men’s basketball game that was a laugher.
“Today was a tight ballgame, a great college baseball game,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “I’m proud of our team. It was a great team win. We didn’t do a lot of things right but we found a way to win and guys picked each other up and that’s what it is about being on a team.”
It may have gone unnoticed but this series includes four umpires. During the ACC portion of the series and almost all of the mid-week games you will find just three.
It mattered on Saturday and was something that was included in the contract for the home-and-home set with the Pirates.
Expect more of that in non-league showdowns with teams that expect to play in the postseason.
“You are starting to see it across college baseball,” O’Connor said. “Some non-conference series between top teams, you are seeing a four-man crew.”
It makes even more sense with so many close calls in tight games in the new-bat, non-ping era.
Plus, it gives O’Connor one more performance on the field to chase down and argue with. Who doesn’t like seeing that?

Extra bases ...

Former Virginia stud pitcher Jacob Thompson was at the game on Saturday. It had to be cool for the member of the Atlanta Braves organization to watch his brother blow ECU away out of the bullpen. ...Reports after the game from the Virginia coaching staf indicated that Swab (leg) was fine after making a running catch into the brick wall in foul territory down the first-base line.

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