2021 College World Series Game 10: No. 2 Texas 6, Virginia 2 (UVA eliminated) (box score)
Ivan Melendez snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI single in the top of the eighth and Zach Zubia added a bases-clearing double in the ninth as UT ousted UVA.
“We’re not going away,” UT head coach David Pierce said. “This team is just resilient. They can be ugly at times, play unbelievable defense and pitch. Opportunistic offensively.”
The game was delayed for nearly four hours due to inclement weather.
The Longhorns (49-16) started the scoring in the second. Melendez had a leadoff double and scored on a base hit by Douglas Hodo III.
In the top of the fifth, Eric Kennedy had a one-out single and scored on a wild pitch to give UT a 2-0 advantage.
The Cavaliers (36-27) would respond in the bottom of the frame. Logan Michaels drew a one-out walk and Chris Newell homered to right to even the score at 2-2.
Mike Antico had a one-out single in the eighth for the Longhorns, stole second, and came home on a two-out base hit by Melendez for a 3-2 edge.
UVA had a leadoff single by Zach Gelof in the bottom of the eighth and Max Cotier sacrificed him to second. Aaron Nixon took over on the mound for UT and plunked Kyle Teel with his first offering. Nixon enticed pinch-hitter Brendan Rivoli to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.
The Longhorns added insurance in the ninth. Hodo drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a bunt single by Kennedy and went to third when Silas Ardoin was hit by a pitch. Antico reached on a fielder’s choice as Hodo was out at the plate. With two away, Zubia doubled on a 3-2 pitch to clear the bases and give UT a 6-2 lead.
“I was just going up there, trying to react,” Zubia said. “The guy had good stuff on the mound. And I was just trying to go up there, react, put a good swing on whatever pitch was coming. I wasn’t looking for anything specific. I was just ready to react to whatever pitch was thrown and try to get that run in any way possible.”
The Cavs had a two-out single by Jake Gelof in the ninth but could not add any runs.
Cole Quintanilla (5-0, 1.2 IP, 2 H, K) picked up the win, while Nixon worked the final 1.2 innings for his ninth save.
“This is as special a team as we’ve had in this uniform at this university,” UVA head coach Brian O’Connor said. ”What they persevered through, the resiliency that they have shown the last two months, but specifically over the last two weeks, is just remarkable. I told them that all the teams that we have at Virginia are all special in their own way, but this one is at the top.”