CWS NOTEBOOK: Carraway’s move to bullpen pays dividends

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

A mainstay in Virginia’s rotation, coach Brian O’Connor and pitching coach Karl Kuhn elected to move the senior to the bullpen for the ACC tournament.

Carraway accepted the role with open arms, hurling 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball in a series of games that jumpstarted the program.

Carraway was back in the bullpen Saturday as the Virginia opened the College World Series. Yet despite warming up, the right-hander was not summoned by O’Connor against the lefty-heavy lineup of LSU.

The wait was well worth it for the Georgia native.

With the Cavaliers clinging to a 4-3 lead in the top-half of the fifth inning, Carraway was inserted.

“The game was on the ropes a little bit,” O’Connor said. “He calmed us down and that’s what your senior veteran players do.”

Carraway knew he was not going to be asked to pitch the remainder of the game and pitched accordingly.

“You will see a guy that starts sometimes, he might have two really good pitches and he throws like he is closing the game,” Carraway said. “He will burn himself up through three or four innings. I was able to do that today because of the situation.

“It is a completely different mindset. To be able to pitch relief has helped me be able to clear my mind and step on the mound. Your hair is on fire, giving it everything you’ve got.”

Carraway (10-1) recorded eight outs, including one on a pick-off throw, before giving way to left-handed reliever Matt Packer with two outs in the seventh.

“You could not have asked for more from the young man,” O’Connor said. “Andrew pitched with poise and with a purpose.”

Picking a pitcher

Minutes after upending Fullerton, O’Connor was asked about his starting pitcher in Wednesday’s elimination game.

The skipper chuckled.

“I haven’t even thought about it,” he said, pointing out that the opponent would not factor into the decision. “It will be the freshest guy kind of thing.

“I have to look at our relievers and how much they threw over the previous two days.”

One option is senior Robert Poutier, who started the third game in the super regional at Ole Miss.

“It could be Poutier,” O’Connor said, “or one of these relievers that have worked already.”

Changing things up

With outfielder Jarrett Parker mired in a season-worst slump, O’Connor created six potential batting orders Sunday evening.

Eventually the skipper elected to sleep on it, pushing the decision back a day.

How did he finally determine it?

O’Connor joked that he flipped a coin.

The decision was made to move junior Tyler Cannon into the leadoff spot — Parker’s normal slot — and hit Hultzen in the second spot.

Parker, who did not put a ball in play in the CWS until his 10th plate appearance, was dropped to sixth in the batting order. On April 11, Parker was hitting .417, but has since seen his average drop 62 points.

It has been noticeable since the start of the postseason as the sophomore has gone 14 for 48 with 19 strikeouts, including at least one in each of the past 11 games.

“We had to mix it up a little bit,” O’Connor said. “It is no secret that Jarrett Parker is struggling a little bit, but he will come out of it. I have a lot of confidence in that.

“I felt it was the right thing to do and it worked.”

Cannon finished with a single and a pair of walks.

“He is a veteran, can handle that move and if it is a lefty it may be somebody else,” O’Connor said. “I just thought he is one of the most veteran guys that we have. He can handle being put in that leadoff spot in the College World Series.”

Hanging at the hotel

With a day off scheduled between games, Virginia’s players have been experiencing the life of a minor-league baseball player.

Milling around the lobby of the Holiday Inn and enjoying meals at Union Pizzeria, the Cavaliers have learned to handle the down time.

“It is really weird,” said rookie Danny Hultzen, the ACC freshman of the year. “We haven’t had this much free time in a while. We are used are to playing every day, but this extra day of rest is awesome.”

Because of that rest and a shorter than expected outing against LSU on Saturday, Hultzen said he was ready to return to the mound Wednesday if needed.

“I feel great,” he said. “I will take the ball as soon as they call my number.”