In one of the most thrilling games of the NCAA Tournament so far, Virginia was able to outlast top-seeded Southern Miss and keep their season alive at least for one more day. It was a back-and-forth affair that looked like it was heading towards a missed opportunity for UVA, but a four-run top of the 10th gave the Cavaliers new life heading into Sunday.
But this game and how last night’s game transpired have brought some potential problems for UVA. Through two games, Virginia has used 12 pitchers, including all of their usual starters. UVA already has plenty of problems with their pitching, but they are going to have to figure something out because UVA is going to have to win three more games if they are going to get out of Hattiesburg and head to the Super Regionals.
So what will they do?
Here is who has pitched so far for UVA and how many innings they have gone:
Henry Zatkowski- 4.1 IP (92 total pitches)
Kevin Jaxel- 1.1 (21 total pitches)
Lucas Hartman- 2.1 (30 total pitches, pitched two games)
Christian Lucarelli- 0.1 IP (two total pitches)
Noah Yoder- 1.0 IP (25 total pitches)
Dean Kampschror- 0.2 IP (25 total pitches)
Drew Koenen- 0. 1 IP (one pitch)
Kyle Johnson- 2.2 IP (79 total pitches)
Thomas Stewart- 1.0 IP (14 total pitches)
John Paone- 3.1 IP (62 total pitches)
Tyler Kapa- 0.1 IP (25 total pitches)
Max Stammel- 1.1 IP (20 total pitches)
So what will UVA try and do tomorrow in game one, let alone if they have to play two more games after that?
Here is what head coach Chris Pollard had to say after the win over Southern Miss:
Yeah, I mean, it’ll be a whole staff approach. And some of it, if we’re going to have to get back to the hotel and just take an assessment of how guys feel, I mean, that took a lot out of everybody. And I think if everybody in the stands knew what some of these guys were playing through right now, like – We’ve got hamstrings and quads and sore shoulders and guys just out there gut checking it in this ballgame. And, you know, we’ve got to see who feels okay, but it’ll be all hands on deck. It’ll be a one-game season. We’ll try to fight like crazy to get through that one. And we won’t worry about the next one until that one’s over with.
I think that it is safe to say that Zatkowski, Paone, and Kyle Johnson are not going to pitch again for the rest of the regional. They each threw over 60 pitches.
It is likely going to either be a bullpen game consisting of Lucarelli, Jaxel, Yoder, Stewart, and possibly Stammel and Kapa. Given that he has only thrown two pitches this weekend, could it be Lucarelli who gets the start?
True freshman Jayden Stroman is an option as well and even if he does not pitch in the first game tomorrow, if UVA wins, they are almost certainly going to have to turn to him tomorrow or Monday at some point.
Virginia is happy that they still get the opportunity to go out and keep their season alive, but there are some big decisions to be made by Chris Pollard going forward. Virginia’s offense is going to need to be ready to give plenty of run support if Virginia wants to continue winning games and maybe advance.
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