OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The offense has been there for Virginia in the College World Series finals. The pitching is back now, too.
With the Cavaliers’ season on the line, Brandon Waddell pitched a five-hit complete game in a 7-2 victory over Vanderbilt on Tuesday night that forced a decisive Game 3.
The teams meet Wednesday night at TD Ameritrade Park, where the winner will earn its school’s first national championship in baseball.
Waddell’s first nine-inning complete game came a night after Nathan Kirby imploded in Vanderbilt’s nine-run third inning in a 9-8 loss to the Commodores on Monday. Waddell seemed to get better as the game went on, with the fourth inning a turning point.
Vanderbilt (50-21) held a 2-1 lead and had a chance to add to it with John Norwood on second base. But Rhett Wiseman couldn’t get a bunt down to move him over, and he struck out looking. Waddell then picked off Norwood at second.
“The pick play was put on, and we just executed,” Waddell said. “It was a huge momentum swing. They go from a guy in scoring position to nobody on. So I think it was something that was definitely big for us.”