Biddix hit lifts Orange

In the hole, Tyler Biddix was doing the math.

Would he get up? Would he get the chance to change the outcome of the fourth edition of Virginia’s Orange & Blue World Series?

Biddix delivered in timely fashion for the Orange team, poking a bases-loaded pitch from Corey Hunt into shallow center field for the game-winning hit. The junior’s single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Orange team to a 3-2 win, its fourth straight in the fall series.

“I was just looking for anything. There were two outs there and they had no place to put me and the bases loaded so I knew he was going to be throwing strikes,” said Biddix. “[Infielder] Jared King had just been up, too, with the bases loaded and one out so I knew it would take something special for me to get up. I was just looking for something to handle once I got up.”

Biddix’s lone hit in the contest made a winner out of pitcher Robert Morey, who retired five batters in relief.

“Robert threw the ball very well,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “We wanted to give some younger guys the chance to get some work, so we used Morey and Danny Hultzen in relief.”

The momentum in the game changed sides throughout.

The quickest shift may have come with the game tied 1-1 in the fourth inning as Orange third baseman Chris Taylor, a true freshman, planted a fastball into the bleacher seats in left field.

“I was just looking for something to hit,” Taylor said. “It was a 2-0 count, so I was thinking fastball.”

The teams are scheduled to return Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m. at Davenport Field. Regardless of weather conditions, the program will hold a ring ceremony on Friday at the stadium to honor the team’s College World Series trip in the spring.