Jax State Fends Off Virginia to Advance to Regional Final

As Virginia and Jax State fans made their way into Pete Taylor Park on Sunday, both groups were hoping to help will their team into the Regional final against Little Rock. Pitching would be the story line everyone was watching as Virginia's Max Stammel and Jax State's Steven Cash would hope to do what was needed to punch their ticket. Ultimately, the Gamecocks would come out on top despite a late Virginia surge to take the win 7-6.

Jax State Freshman Sam Richardson would open the scoring in the second with a 396 foot grand slam to right following two walks and a single by the heart of the Gamecock lineup. Pitching for both teams would shut down the scoring until the seventh when a sac fly by Trey King and a bases-clearing double by Cooper Blauser would drive in three more runs to make the score 7-0 Gamecocks.

Cash would go 7+ innings for the Gamecocks, throwing a career-high 120 pitches with 77 being strikes and 10 strikeouts on the day. After leaving the game with the bases loaded, Virginia would strike for the first time of the day in a big way. A bases clearing double by Jake Weatherspoon followed by a RJ Holmes sac fly and a double by Eric Becker would drive in six runs for the Cavaliers and make it a 7-6 ballgame. Ultimately, that score would hold as Jax State would take the win.

Virginia head coach Chris Pollard discussed the momentum this Regional berth would have for the program moving forward. "[...] to still be playing this weekend and still be playing on the Sunday of a regional, it gives us momentum going into the off season. [...] There's a bunch of good young players, there's a bunch of good young players coming in, and we're going to bring in additional players along with them to put this program in a position to take the next step forward next year."

Jax State will play Little Rock at 8pm CT in the Regional final.