Almost an hour after the last pitch was thrown, Virginia baseball coach Brian O’Connor crept slowly towards the team bus, pausing to sign a baseball for a young fan.

Considering that not even 24 hours had passed since Virginia’s baseball season came to a dramatic halt, it would have been understandable if the Cavaliers had hung their heads as their fans greeted them at Davenport Field on Thursday night.

After blowing a two-run lead in the top half of the ninth inning, Virginia fell 4-3 in 12 innings in Wednesday night’s elimination game against Arkansas in the College World Series.

Steve Proscia, the father of Virginia third baseman Steven Proscia, did not skip a beat, laying out marinated chicken and whopping-sized steaks at the R.V. park he elected to stay at following his lengthy trek to the College World Series.

Mired in a slump as a starting pitcher, Andrew Carraway could have looked at his new fate as a demotion.

The fifth-ranked Cavaliers’ offense provided timely hits, propelling Virginia to a 7-5 victory over the Titans and allowing UVa to survive an elimination game and extend its stay at the College World Series.

Louisiana State, using a pair of mammoth homers, made a winner of coach Paul Mainieri in his reunion with Virginia coach Brian O’Connor in the opening day at the College World Series.

With Andy Wilkins homering and driving in five runs, Arkansas started off the College World Series with a 10-6 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.

Appearing on every single ballot, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor waltzed away with national coach of the year honors from the National College Baseball Writers Association on Saturday.

Scattershooting around the sports world over your morning coffee ...

What Danny Hultzen wanted, Danny Hultzen got.

Omaha sculptor John Lajba used a photograph of O’Connor as inspiration for part of the statue, which portrays a group of players celebrating victory. Lajba is a friend of O’Connor’s father.

Sitting in his downtown hotel room, Andrew Carraway had a moment that was tough to describe.

A double-digit winning streak and a trip to the College World Series are nothing new for LSU.

Eight years later, as the Virginia baseball team prepares for its first appearance in the College World Series, Dennis Womack has the benefit of perspective.