Canes Drop Game And Series With 5-3 Loss

Like the Florida States Series and Georgia Tech Series, the Canes started off the Virginia Series having the fans feeling confident with the game one victory over the Cavaliers.  However, just like the Florida State and Georgia Tech Series, the Canes would go onto to lose the next two games against the Cavaliers including a 5-3 loss on Monday Night and the high that Canes fans felt on Saturday had turned into frustration by the end of Monday night's game.

The Canes got on the board first in the bottom of the third with Brandon Lopez and Garrett Kennedy hitting back to back singles.  After a Dale Carey bunt , a Tyler Palmer ground out and a Brad Fieger walk there were two on and two outs for Willie Abreu.  The freshman was the only Canes batter in tonight's lineup with a batting average of over .300 and Abreu came through with a three run triple giving Abreu thirteen RBI's on the year.  Making it 3-0 Canes at the end of three innings.

After a scoreless fourth the Cavaliers responded in the top of the fifth starting with a ground rule double from Cavaliers first baseman Robbie Coman.  After a single from Kenny Towns, up came second baseman Branden Cogswell who would single driving in Coman making it 3-1.  The Cavaliers were just getting started for the inning as Daniel Pinero the next batter up hit a single driving in Towns to make it 3-2.  After a Mike Papi fly out which advanced Cogswell to third, designated hitter Nick Howard beat out a double play to drive in Cogswell knotting the game at three apiece.

After a rough third, Cavaliers starting pitcher Brandon Waddell bounced back nicely retiring eight in a row before being pulled after six innings.  Waddell finished with six innings pitched on six hits giving up three runs all earned with one strikeout.  In a similar fashion to Waddell, Canes pitcher Bryan Radziewski bounced back nicely after his rough fifth inning, Radziewski would end his night with seven innings pitched giving up three runs all earned on four hits while striking out seven and issuing six walks.

Still 3-3 in the top of the eighth, it became the battle of the bullpen freshman edition as freshman Bryan Garcia for the Canes allowed no runs in the top of the eighth and freshman Connor Jones of the Cavaliers responded right back putting up a goose egg of his own in the bottom of the inning.  Despite being great this season out of the bullpen Garcia would end up in trouble in the top of ninth.  Garcia issued a one out walk to Branden Cogswell, up came Daniel Pinero who hit a double down the right field line in front of a diving Willie Abreu putting runners on second and third.  Garcia would intentionally walk Mike Papi to load the bases for Nick Howard.  Howard would hit a single up the middle bringing in Cogswell and Pinero making it 5-3 for the Cavaliers.  The Canes would go out quietly in the bottom of the ninth giving the Cavaliers the huge series win in the battle of first for the Coastal division.

The Canes fell to (13-12, 5-4 ACC) with the loss, while the Cavaliers went to (19-4, 7-2 ACC) with the win.

Canes return to action on Wednesday night as they host Florida Gulf Coast University at 6 PM. The game can be heard on 90.5 WVUM.