# 2016 Virginia Cavaliers baseball team

The 2016 Virginia Cavaliers baseball team represented the University of Virginia during the 2016 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Cavaliers played their home games at Davenport Field as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were led by head coach Brian O'Connor, in his 13th season at Virginia. The defending NCAA champions made it to the NCAA Tournament and hosted their own regional. They were eliminated by William & Mary.

## Previous season

In 2015, the Cavaliers finished the season 2nd in the ACC's Coastal Division with a record of 33–19, 15–15 in conference play. They qualified for the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament by winning a play in game against Georgia Tech, and were eliminated in pool play, losing all three . They qualified for the 2015 NCAA Division I baseball tournament unseeded and were placed in the Lake Elsinore Regional, hosted by UC Santa Barbara. Also in the regional were UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State, and USC. The Cavaliers defeated USC, 6–1, in the opening game, and USC, 3–1, to advance to the regional final. There, they again defeated USC, this time by a score of 14–10 in 11 innings. the Super Regional was hosted by the Cavaliers in Charlottesville. There Cavaliers defeated Maryland, 5–3 and 5–4, defeating Maryland in a super regional for the second year in a row, to advance to the College World Series.
In the College World Series, Virginia's first game was against Arkansas, whom the Cavaliers defeated, 5–3. In the second round, Virginia defeated #4 national seed Florida, 1–0. In the semifinals, the Cavaliers lost to Florida, 10–5, but bounced back in the second game, winning 5–4. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series finals to play Vanderbilt, a rematch of the 2014 world series. In the first game of the finals, the Commodores won by a score of 5–1. Virginia then rebounded to defeat Vanderbilt, 3–0, in game two. In a winner-take-all game three, Virginia prevailed, 4–2, to be crowned national champions. Josh Sborz was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player recording three wins and a save in four games; pitching 13 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, four walks and seven hits allowed.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at Virginia | Alma Mater |
| Brian O'Connor | Head coach | 13 | Creighton University (1993) |
| Kevin McMullan | Associate head coach | 13 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1990) |
| Karl Kuhn | Assistant coach | 13 | University of Florida (1992) |
| Matt Kirby | Assistant coach | 5 | College of William & Mary (2003) |

## Schedule

Legend :
| | Virginia win |
| | Virginia loss |
| | Postponement |
| Bold | Virginia team member |
2016 Virginia Cavaliers baseball game log :
Regular season :
February
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
February 19vs Kent State#9Pelicans Ballpark • Myrtle Beach, SC8–6Jones (1–0)Lauer (0–1)Bettinger (1)1–0
February 20vs Appalachian State#9Pelicans Ballpark • Myrtle Beach, SC8–0Lynch (1–0)Seth (0–1)8502–0
February 21at Coastal Carolina#9Pelicans Ballpark • Myrtle Beach, SC5–4Beckwith (1–0)Bettinger (0–1)31362–1
February 23VMI#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA18–1Haseley (1–0)Gorman (0–1)31053–1
February 26East Carolina#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–5Ingle (1–0)Bettinger (0–2)33513–2
February 27East Carolina#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–1Jacob (2–0)Lynch (1–1)Durazo (1)36693–3
February 28East Carolina#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–2Doyle (1–0)Boyd (1–1)Bettinger (2)39934–3 :
March
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
March 1William & Mary#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–2Haseley (2–0)Sheehan (0–2)31055–3
March 4Monmouth#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–2Jones (2–0)Trimarco (1–1)Bettinger(3)30926–3
March 5Monmouth#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA11–10$^{11}$Sousa (1–0)Brambilla (0–1)33997–3
March 6Monmouth#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–6Dennis (1–1)Doyle (1–1)Andrews (1)33217–4
March 8Wagner#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–2Haseley (3–0)Adams (0–2)30718–4
March 9Wagner#15Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA20–7Rosenberger (1–0)Abbatiello (0–1)31499–4
March 11at Duke#15Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC6–0Jones (3–0)Clark (2–1)63210–41–0
March 12at Duke#15Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC7–6Shambora (1–0)Stallings (0–1)Bettinger (4)90611–42–0
March 13at Duke#15Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC0–3McAfee (2–1)Doyle (1–2)53311–52–1
March 15Towson#14Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA2–1Haseley (4–0)Morris (0–1)Bettinger (5)294912–5
March 16Towson#14Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA10–8Sousa (2–0)Stricker (2–1)Bettinger (6)307213–5
March 18Wake Forest#14Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–0Jones (4–0)Dunshee (3–2)348814–53–1
March 18Wake Forest#14Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–4Shambora (2–0)McCarren (2–1)345315–54–1
March 19Wake Forest#14Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–9Sellers (2–1)Bettinger (0–3)368615–64–2
March 22James Madison#16Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA15–6Haseley (5–0)Taylor338416–6
March 25at #7 Louisville#16Jim Patterson Stadium • Louisville, KY6–3Jones (5–0)Funkhouser (2–2)Bettinger (7)266717–65–2
March 26at #7 Louisville#16Jim Patterson Stadium • Louisville, KY4–11McKay (5–1)Lynch (1–2)333417–75–3
March 27at #7 Louisville#16Jim Patterson Stadium • Louisville, KY0–15Harrington (5–1)Doyle (1–3)202417–85–4
March 29Old Dominion#21Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–5Bailey (2–0)Bettinger (0–4)Smith (1)338317–9 :
April
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
April 1#22 NC State#21Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA7–8Staley (1–1)Jones (5–1)DeJuneas (5)392717–105–5
April 2#22 NC State#21Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–3Haseley (6–0)Brown (3–1)430018–106–5
April 3#22 NC State#21Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA2–5Williamson (5–0)Doyle (1–4)Gilbert (3)387418–116–6
April 5at VCU#26The Diamond • Richmond, VA5–7Ebersole (3–2)Lynch (1–3)302818–12
April 6George Washington#26Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA15–3Rosenberger (2–0)Sheinkop (1–3)309719–12
April 8at Boston College#26Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field • Chestnut Hill, MA3–0Jones (6–1)Stevens (2–1)23020–127–6
April 9at Boston College#26Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field • Chestnut Hill, MA1–2Adams (3–3)Doyle (1–5)51920–137–7
April 10at Boston College#26Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field • Chestnut Hill, MA4–5$^{13}$Adams (4–3)Harrington (0–1)41220–147–8
April 13LongwoodDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA9–4Shambora (3–0)Gould (1–1)305521–14
April 15#21 North CarolinaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA7–4Jones (7–1)Gallen (4–3)Doyle (1)393322–148–8
April 16#21 North CarolinaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA1–8Bukauskas (6–1)Haseley (6–1)497522–158–9
April 17#21 North CarolinaDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA15–9Doherty (1–0)Bogucki (2–2)495023–159–9
April 19Radford#20Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA11–3Sousa (3–0)Swarmer (2–3)Shambora (1)326424–15
April 20VCU#20Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–11Crabb (2–0)Doherty (1–1)334524–16
April 22at #1 Miami (FL)#20Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field • Coral Gables, FL6–5Jones (8–1)Woodrey (4–3)Doyle (1)301525–1610–9
April 23at #1 Miami (FL)#20Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park • Coral Gables, FL2–9Mediavilla (7–1)Haseley (6–2)409925–1710–10
April 24at #1 Miami (FL)#20Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park • Coral Gables, FL7–3Bettinger (1–4)Garcia (6–3)Doyle (2)283726–1711–10
April 26at Old Dominion#16Harbor Park • Norfolk, VA8–4Shambora (4–0)Hartman (4–4)Doherty (1)482627–17
April 30at Pittsburgh#16Petersen Sports Complex • Pittsburgh, PA5–1Jones (9–1)Zeuch (5–1)71828–1712–10
April 30at Pittsburgh#16Petersen Sports Complex • Pittsburgh, PA7–6Harrington (1–1)Chentouf (0–1)Doyle (3)71829–1713–10 :
May
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
May 1at Pittsburgh#16Petersen Sports Complex • Pittsburgh, PA9–1Haseley (7–2)Garbee (1–3)31830–1714–10
May 3at Liberty#11Liberty Baseball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA7–3Shambora (5–0)Clouse (3–2)402431–17
May 13#22 Georgia Tech#11Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–3Jones (10–1)Gold (6–3)370332–1715–10
May 14#22 Georgia Tech#11Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA9–4Bettinger (2–4)Parr (7–1)450033–1716–10
May 15#22 Georgia Tech#11Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–5Gorst (1–1)Haseley (7–3)453133–1816–11
May 17Richmond#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VACanceled
May 19Virginia Tech#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–3Jones (11–1)Scheetz (5–6)Doherty (2)383234–1817–11
May 20Virginia Tech#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA7–6Doyle (2–5)Kragel (2–4)375935–1818–11
May 21Virginia Tech#9Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–1Haseley (8–3)Woodcock (1–8)436736–1819–11 :
Post-season :
ACC Tournament
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACCT Record
May 26#28 Clemson#8Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC5–4Krall (9–1)Shambora (5–1)325936–190–1
May 27Wake Forest#8Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC10–9Kelly (1–2)Bettinger (2–5)Craig (8)302736–200–2
May 28#3 Louisville#8Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC7–2Haseley (9–3)Harrington (11–2)518837–201–2 :
NCAA tournament – Charlottesville Regional
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordNCAAT Record
June 3William & Mary#8Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA17–4Bettinger (3–5)Powers (8–6)394938–201–0
June 4East Carolina#8Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–8Ingle (6–3)Doyle (2–6)462838–211–1
June 5William & Mary#8Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–5White (2–3)Doyle (2–7)Gaouette (11)364938–221–2 :
All rankings from Collegiate Baseball. :

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Final |
| Coaches' | 7 | 7* | 7* | 18 | 17 | 12 | 16 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | | | | |
| Baseball America | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 14 | — | — | — | 22 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 8 | | | | |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | 9 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 26 | — | 20 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | | | |
| NCBWA† | 8 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 20 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | | | | |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.

## Awards and honors
### Connor Jones

* Baseball America Pre-season Third team All-American
* All-ACC first team

### Pavin Smith

* Baseball America Pre-season Third team All-American
* All-ACC second team

### Matt Thaiss

* All-ACC second team
* ACC Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team

### Ernie Clement

* All-ACC third team

### Daniel Pinero

* ACC Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team