Virginia handles Liberty

Thirteen was not an unlucky number.

Virginia sophomore Jarrett Parker mashed a pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning off the flag pole in left-center field, propelling the Cavaliers to a 5-2 victory over Liberty on Tuesday at Davenport Field.

Parker’s mammoth shot, which helped improve No. 11 Virginia to 35-9-1 overall, was his 13th of the season.

“I heard it, but I didn’t see it,” Parker said. “Liberty had just tied up the game so I was just trying to start something up. I was trying to drive something and that is what I did.”

The game was, in fact, tied at two after Liberty (29-14) scored in the fifth and sixth innings.

For that reason, Virginia starting pitcher Matt Packer was thankful for Parker’s home run, even if it drifted to the wrong part of the ballpark for his liking.

“It was a bomb,” Packer chuckled. “I was hoping that it would stay a little closer to center so we could finally see a ball go over in center. I think it would have cleared it by a long shot.”

The homer, coupled with a two-run single by catcher John Hicks, helped give Packer the win on the mound. The left-hander allowed seven hits in 6.1 innings of work before turning the game over to Tyler Wilson and Kevin Arico.

In amazing fashion, Packer threw just 76 pitches in the outing.

“Every time I threw it up there they put it in play,” said Packer, who walked one batter, fanned just one and benefited from three double plays. “My defense just made plays behind me. I wanted to attack the strike zone and make them swing at pitches that they didn’t want to hit.

“They were swinging at them and putting them into the ground.”

It was the second quality start in a row for Packer, once Virginia’s closer.

“I thought Matt Packer looked really good tonight,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “It was great to see him pitching into the seventh inning. Liberty has a very good club, they are very offensive and I thought he did a nice job with clutch pitches when runners were on base.

“He was efficient and his pitch count has a lot to do with Liberty. They are very aggressive. They get up there and attack. They don’t have a lot of strikeouts this season, and that is why.”

Virginia finished the contest with 11 hits. Danny Hultzen, Steven Proscia and Tyler Cannon led the charge with two hits apiece.

Liberty starter Tyler Light took the loss on the mound, allowing eight hits and five earned runs.

With an exam break looming, the Cavaliers will not return to action until May 8, when they entertain Duke at Davenport Field.