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.

Now with a fine-tuned slider suddenly in his arsenal, Arico has emerged as the Cavaliers’ closer, a role that he will assume Saturday at 7 p.m. as No. 6 Virginia (48-13-1) opens play at the College World Series against top-ranked Louisiana State in Omaha, Neb.

Ole Miss first baseman Matt Smith belted the first pitch he was thrown in the 12th inning from Virginia reliever Kevin Arico over the wall in left field, propelling the Rebels to a 4-3 walk-off win as 9,213 fans roared for the end of the first contest of the Oxford Super Regional.

After claiming the series with a three-run win on Saturday, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor took the chance to ask his players a question.

In one of the strangest series of the season, Virginia pulled off a remarkable feat.

Virginia, ranked No. 14 in the country, scored four two-out runs in the seventh inning, including the game-winner, as it dispatched Marshall 5-4 at Davenport Field.