# 2015 Virginia Cavaliers baseball team

The 2015 Virginia Cavaliers baseball team represented the University of Virginia during the 2015 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 12th season at Virginia.
2015 was a tough regular season for the 2014 NCAA runner-up. The Cavaliers slogged through a disappointing and injury-filled regular season. By winning 5 of its last 6 ACC games, the Cavs managed to cobble together a .500 ACC record, qualifying them for a play in game at the ACC tournament. At the tournament they won the play in game against Georgia Tech and then promptly lost the last three games.
Virginia was given an NCAA tournament berth, as a No. 3 regional seed, and the Cavs took full advantage. They swept through the Lake Elsinore (Calif.) Regional, and because Maryland, also a #3 seed, had won its regional, were able to host a Super Regional, which the Cavaliers swept as well.
In Omaha the Cavaliers won the 2015 College World Series, highlighted by winning two of three games against Florida before ousting Vanderbilt in three games in the CWS Finals. Virginia's season was notable for the Cavaliers continuing to battle in spite of numerous setbacks. That never give up attitude was evident in its post season as well: UVA scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning or later in each of their 10 postseason wins.

## Previous season

In 2014, the Cavaliers finished the season 2nd in the ACC's Coastal Division with a record of 47–14, 22–8 in conference play. They qualified for the 2014 Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament and were eliminated in pool play. They qualified for the 2014 NCAA Division I baseball tournament as the #3 overall national seed, and were placed in the Charlottesville Regional, of which they were hosts. Also, in the regional were Bucknell, Liberty, and Arkansas. The Cavaliers defeated Bucknell, 10–1, in the opening game, and then shut out Arkansas, 3–0, to advance to the regional final. There, they again defeated Arkansas, this time by a score of 9–2. In the Super Regional, the Cavaliers fell in the opening game to ACC foe Maryland, 4–5. However, they rebounded and defeated the Terrapins in the next two games, 7–3 and 11–2, to advance to the College World Series.
In the College World Series, Virginia's first game was against Ole Miss, whom the Cavaliers defeated, 2–1. In the second round, Virginia defeated #7 national seed TCU, 3–2, in 15 innings. In the semifinals, the Cavaliers again defeated Ole Miss, this time by a score of 4–1. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series finals to play Vanderbilt. In the first game of the finals, the Commodores won by a score of 9–8. Virginia then rebounded to defeat Vanderbilt, 7–2, in game two. In a winner-take-all game three, Vanderbilt prevailed, 3–2, to be crowned national champions.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at Virginia | Alma Mater |
| Brian O'Connor | Head coach | 12 | Creighton University (1993) |
| Kevin McMullan | Associate head coach | 12 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1990) |
| Karl Kuhn | Assistant coach | 12 | University of Florida (1992) |
| Matt Kirby | Assistant coach | 4 | College of William & Mary (2003) |

## Schedule

Legend :
| | Virginia win |
| | Virginia loss |
| | Postponement |
| Bold | Virginia team member |
2015 Virginia Cavaliers baseball game log :
Regular season :
February
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
February 13at East Carolina#3Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC3–1Kirby (1–0)Kruczynski (0–1)Sborz (1)2,5411–0
February 14at East Carolina#3Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC9–2Jones (1–0)Wolfe (0–1)3,0582–0
February 15at East Carolina#3Clark–LeClair Stadium • Greenville, NC4–2Roberts (1–0)Boyd (0–1)Sborz (2)3,0583–0
February 17VCU#3Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VACanceled
February 20Marist#3Bishop England High School • Charleston, S.C.9–1Kirby (2–0)Evan (0–1)2274–0
February 21La Salle#3Charleston Southern • Charleston, S.C.8–3Jones (2–0)Andujar (0–1)Doherty (1)2195–0
February 21Marist#3College of Charleston • Charleston, S.C.7–2Bettinger (1–0)Vrana (0–1)Rosenberger (1)2556–0
February 22Marist#3Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park • Charleston, S.C.5–4$^{18}$Sousa (1–0)Bunting (0–1)5277–0
February 24George Washington#2Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VACanceled
February 27Hartford#2Myrtle Beach, S.C.5–1Kirby (3–0)Gauthier (1–1)Bettinger (1)2558–0
February 28Seton Hall#2Myrtle Beach, S.C.4–1Jones (3–0)Pacillo (0–2)Sborz (3)2719–0 :
March
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
March 1Cornell#2Myrtle Beach, S.C.5–4Sborz (1–0)Horton (0–2)17710–0
March 4VMI#2Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VAPostponed
March 7Pittsburgh#2Cary, N.C.0–1Zeuch (3–1)Kirby (3–1)31710–10–1
March 7Pittsburgh#2Cary, N.C.2–1Jones (4–0)Sandefur (1–1)Sborz (4)31711–11–1
March 8Pittsburgh#2Cary, N.C.10–3Waddell (1–0)Berube (0–2)72812–12–1
March 11Old Dominion#3Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–14Diaz (3–1)Casey (0–1)2,77812–2
March 13at Virginia Tech#3English Field • Blacksburg, VA1–2Keselica (3–1)Roberts (1–1)41912–32–2
March 14at Virginia Tech#3English Field • Blacksburg, VA1–3McGarity (2–1)Jones (4–1)Scherzer (3)1,28212–42–3
March 15at Virginia Tech#3English Field • Blacksburg, VA5–6Coward (1–0)Sborz (1–1)Naughton (1)2,64212–52–4
March 17Towson#12Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–0Bettinger (2–0)Lawler (0–3)2,90113–5
March 20Florida State#12Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–4Doherty (1–0)Silva (2–1)Sborz (5)3,20014–53–4
March 21Florida State#12Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA10–12Silva (3–1)Sborz (1–2)4,19614–63–5
March 22Florida State#12Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA1–13Johnson (3–1)Waddell (1–1)3,99414–73–6
March 24Georgetown#25Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA0–1Simon (2–2)Bettinger (2–1)Ellingson (3)2,87114–8
March 25at Liberty#25Liberty Baseball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA10–7Casey (1–1)Stafford2,84115–8
March 27at Notre Dame#25Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN9–1Kirby (4–1)Kerrigan (1–4)Doherty (2)78316–84–6
March 28at Notre Dame#25Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN4–2Doyle (1–0)Guenther (1–1)Sborz (6)78317–85–6
March 29at Notre Dame#25Frank Eck Stadium • Notre Dame, IN5–4Waddell (2–1)McCarty (3–3)Sborz (7)37718–86–6
March 31at VCU#20The Diamond • Richmond, VA5–3Casey (2–1)Concepcion (1–2)Sborz (8)3,23319–8 :
April
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
April 1VMI#20Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–7Staats (1–1)Cummins (0–1)Edens (4)3,01419–9
April 4Louisville#20Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA1–8Funkhouser (4–2)Kirby (4–2)4,37219–106–7
April 5Louisville#20Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–11McKay (5–0)Doherty (1–1)3,73919–116–8
April 6LouisvilleDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA0–4Rogers (5–1)Waddell (2–2)3,27819–126–9
April 8James MadisonDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA14–1Casey (3–1)Tucker (1–3)3,24520–12
April 10at Georgia TechRuss Chandler Stadium • Atlanta, GA14–4Kirby (5–2)King (2–2)1,40921–127–9
April 11at Georgia TechRuss Chandler Stadium • Atlanta, GA4–11Gorst (3–2)Conor (4–2)2,34421–137–10
April 12at Georgia TechRuss Chandler Stadium • Atlanta, GA3–4Gold (5–1)Waddell (2–3)Ryan (7)1,64121–147–11
April 14RadfordDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VACanceled
April 15William & MaryDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA3–2Bettinger (3–1)Fletcher (3–1)Sborz (9)3,08422–14
April 17Miami (FL)Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–4Rosenberger (1–0)Woodrey (4–2)Sborz (10)3,58923–148–11
April 18Miami (FL)Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–2Doherty (2–1)Garcia (4–2)Sborz (11)4,22824–149–11
April 19Miami (FL)Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA6–8Abrams (1–0)Waddell (2–4)Garcia (9)3,74724–159–12
April 21LongwoodDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA14–4Casey (4–1)Catlin (3–2)Roberts (1)25–15
April 22LibertyDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–2Haseley (1–0)Parker (3–4)Sborz (12)3,01726–15
April 24at NC StateDoak Field • Raleigh, NC8–3Jones (5–2)Brown (3–3)1,75927–1510–12
April 25at NC StateDoak Field • Raleigh, NC3–4Gilbert (1–1)Doyle (1–1)93727–1610–13
April 26at NC StateDoak Field • Raleigh, NC3–5$^{10}$DeJuneas (2–2)Bettinger (3–2)1,11327–1710–14
April 28at Old DominionHarbor Park • Norfolk, VA1–3Benitez (1–1)Haseley (1–1)Hartman (1)6,02927–18 :
May
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACC Record
May 8DukeDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA3–1Doherty (3–1)Istler (5–4)Bettinger (2)3,72328–1811–14
May 9DukeDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA7–9Labosky (2–0)Bettinger (3–3)Koplove (11)4,39328–1911–15
May 10DukeDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA4–2Sborz (2–2)Clark (3–5)Haseley (1)4,11829–1912–15
May 12RichmondDavenport Field • Charlottesville, VA8–6Bettinger (4–3)Lively3,36930–19
May 14at North CarolinaBoshamer Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC2–1$^{10}$Haseley (2–1)Thornton (3–6)Bettinger (3)1,99731–1913–15
May 15at North CarolinaBoshamer Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC6–2Waddell (3–4)Bukauskas (4–3)2,95732–1914–15
May 16at North CarolinaBoshamer Stadium • Chapel Hill, NC8–2Rosenberger (2–0)Kelley (5–3)Doherty (3)2,52733–1915–15 :
Post-season :
ACC Tournament
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordACCT Record
May 19Georgia Tech#29Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC11–0$^7$Sborz (3–2)King (4–5)2,61434–191–0
May 20Miami (FL)#29Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC5–9Garcia (5–2)Bettinger (4–4)2,77434–201–1
May 22Notre Dame#29Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC2–8Smoyer (9–0)Waddell (3–5)Bielak (1)2,91634–211–2
May 23NC State#29Durham Bulls Athletic Park • Durham, NC2–10Williamson (4–3)Bettinger (4–5)7,13934–221–3 :
NCAA tournament – Lake Elsinore (Calif.) Regional
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordNCAAT Record
May 29(2) USCLake Elsinore Diamond • Lake Elsinore, CA6–1Jones (6–2)Davis (3–3)Sborz (13)2,00035–221–0
May 30(4) San Diego StateLake Elsinore Diamond • Lake Elsinore, CA3–1Sborz (4–2)Seyler (9–3)2,11436–222–0
May 31(2) USCLake Elsinore Diamond • Lake Elsinore, CA14–10$^{11}$Rosenberger (3–0)Wheatley (4–4)Sborz (14)1,06537–223–0 :
NCAA tournament – Charlottesville, VA Super Regional
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordNCAAT Record
June 5Maryland#13Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–3Jones (7–2)Mooney (3–1)Sborz (14)5,00138–224–0
June 6Maryland#13Davenport Field • Charlottesville, VA5–4Bettinger (5–5)Galligan (4–5)5,00139–225–0 :
NCAA tournament – College World Series
DateOpponentRankSite/stadiumScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceOverall recordCWS Record
June 13#7 Arkansas#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE5–3Sborz (5–2)Killian (3–5)24,22840–221–0
June 15#2 Florida#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE1–0Waddell (4–5)Puk (9–4)Sborz (15)19,54441–222–0
June 19#2 Florida#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE5–10Faedo (11–6)Kirby (5–3)19,01541–232–1
June 20#2 Florida#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE5–4Sborz (6–2)Lewis (6–2)15,56042–233–1
June 22#5 Vanderbilt#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE1–5Fulmer (14–2)Jones (7–3)21,65242–243–2
June 23#5 Vanderbilt#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE3–0Sborz (7–2)Pfeiffer (6–5)24,64543–244–2
June 24#5 Vanderbilt#8TD Ameritrade Park • Omaha, NE4–2Waddell (5–5)Kilichowski (3–4)Kirby (1)17,68944–245–2 :
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' | 2 | 2* | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 24 | — | 25 | — | —* | 1 | 1 |
| Baseball America | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 | 16 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | 1 |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 25 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | 13 | 8 | 1 |
| NCBWA† | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 30 | 14 | | 1 |
^ 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
### Nathan Kirby

* Louisville Slugger Pre-season First Team All-American
* Perfect Game USA Pre-season First Team All-American
* Baseball America Pre-season First team All-American
* All ACC 1st Team

### Joe McCarthy

* Louisville Slugger Pre-season Second Team All-American
* Perfect Game USA Pre-season Second Team All-American
* Baseball America Pre-season Second Team All-American

### Josh Sborz

* Most Outstanding Player, 2015 College World Series
* ACC Second Team

### Brandon Waddell

* Louisville Slugger Pre-season Second Team All-American
* Perfect Game USA Pre-season Third Team All-American

### Matt Thaiss

* Louisville Slugger 2015 Third Team All-American

### Pavin Smith

* ACC All Freshman Team
* Louisville Slugger Freshmen A-A Team

### Adam Haseley

* ACC All Freshman Team
* Louisville Slugger Freshmen A-A Team

### Kenny Towns

* ACC Second Team

### Daniel Pinero

* ACC Second Team