Cavs, Jackets play to draw

In Atlanta, a wild series that provided numerous unimaginable events went a step further Sunday.

In kiss-your-sister mode, Virginia and Georgia Tech completed the final game of the three-game set with a 4-4 tie at Russ Chandler Stadium after playing nine full innings.

Per ACC curfew rules, which were based on the departure time of a commercial flight back to Charlottesville, the teams were unable to start an inning after 4:15 p.m.. That became an issue — and a dreadful reality — in regulation after the Cavaliers and Yellow Jackets shuffled relievers during the late innings of the seesaw affair.

With the tie, No. 18 Virginia stands at 28-7-1 overall and at 9-6-1 in the ACC. Georgia Tech, ranked eighth in the country, is 21-8-1 overall and 10-5-1 in the league.

“Whether we won, lost or tied the final game, we played good baseball this weekend,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “We faced one of the nation’s best teams on the road and we did not lose the series. We could have been better at times, but our young team performed under pressure.

“It is unfortunate how it unfolded with the time limit but that is what you deal with on a Sunday in this league.”

Virginia had a chance to walk away with the series. The Cavaliers also had a chance to leave losers.

Leading 3-2 in the eighth, Virginia reliever Neal Davis allowed a two-run double to Tony Plagman that snuck over the head of Cavalier left fielder David Coleman.

As was the case throughout the series, the contest offered ninth-inning fireworks.

With nobody out in the final frame, Virginia catcher Franco Valdes delivered a single to right field that plated Tyler Cannon with the game-tying run.

Later in the inning after the Cavaliers had loaded the bases with just one out recorded, Georgia Tech reliever Kevin Jacob struck out Phil Gosselin and forced Danny Hultzen to fly out to escape the jam.

Georgia Tech’s bullpen was unable to do that Saturday night — the Cavaliers scored six runs in the final frame to register an 11-10 victory.

Virginia’s tie spoiled the career-best performance from spot starter Robert Morey. The right-handed sophomore hurled 5.2 innings and allowed just three hits and two earned runs. It was the longest outing in a league game in Morey’s career.

“Robert has the best stuff of anybody on our team,” said O’Connor, noting that Morey walked only one batter. “Today, he was consistent and he threw strikes. It was a great performance from a player that we will lean on in the final weeks of the season.”

Based on the weekend’s action, Virginia maintains the fourth-best winning percentage in the league. Luckily for the Cavaliers, they face only one team that boasts a winning record over the final four weekends of the season.

Virginia will face Coastal Carolina on Tuesday at 5 p.m.