OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Winning, and winning big, has been the standard for the Virginia baseball program since coach Brian O’Connor took over in 2004, and no excuses were allowed when the most trying circumstances cropped up.
The Cavaliers entered the season without six everyday players and four key relief pitchers from the team that was College World Series runner-up to Vanderbilt. But with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes coming in, there was reason to believe Virginia could make another trip to Omaha.
No one, however, could have foreseen the injuries that left the Cavaliers with just 11 healthy position players in March. O’Connor went so far as to pick up a couple guys from the school’s club team to fill out the roster.
It wasn’t until the last week of the regular season, when there was doubt about the Cavaliers even making the ACC Tournament, that Virginia was primed to make a run.
The Cavaliers wrapped up its first baseball national championship by winning a CWS finals rematch against the defending champion Commodores in three games.