Cavaliers hope to make a statement

To those in uniform, it was a chat that changed the history of Virginia baseball.

Mike Mitchell, now a minor league player with the Colorado Rockies, remembers it clearly.

Shortly after Virginia had taken the series-opening game from Georgia Tech in 2004, numerous Yellow Jackets players raced to family and fans with smiles splashed on their faces.

Virginia coach Brian O’Connor jumped at the opportunity to do some coaching.

“They were over on the sidelines joking around and signing autographs and hanging with their families,” Mitchell said. “Baseball players can’t act like that [after a loss]. We learned something that day about what we needed to be as a college baseball player and it set us off to a great year.”

Virginia, currently ranked No. 18, swept Georgia Tech in that series, a feat it will look to repeat this weekend in Atlanta.

The Cavaliers could use a series win as they trail Georgia Tech (20-7, 9-4 ACC), Miami (24-8, 10-5) and North Carolina (26-7, 9-5) by percentage points in the Coastal Division title race.

Georgia Tech, despite losing two of three to UNC last weekend, appears to be the frontrunner in the league at this point.

“Georgia Tech is a great team and they have the best record in the ACC,” Virginia third baseman Steven Proscia said. “We have a big task in front of us, but I think we are ready for it. We just have to go out there and execute.”

Proscia is one of a handful of rookies that will see extended action at one of this weekend at one of the toughest venues in the league.

That is when O’Connor may learn the most about his youngsters.

“Obviously, our players are comfortable at home,” he said. “It is where they play they played all fall and where they prepared to play.

“I think when you take them into a ballpark on the road, as we will the next two weekends (which includes a series at Boston College), I think you start to really find out what you have.”