April 18 (UPI) — Not much went right for Virginia’s baseball team in a recent loss to Pittsburgh, but one of the Cavaliers’ mental errors led to a wild triple play.
The entertaining sequence occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning of the 4-1 setback Sunday at Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh.
The Panthers led 2-1 in the inning when first baseman Bryce Hulett stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Cavaliers pitcher Brandon Neeck earned a 1-2 lead in the count. He then fired his final offering of the exchange.
Hulett reached out and made contact with the low-and-outside toss. He sent the ball down the third base line. Cavaliers third baseman Jake Gelof fielded the ball and threw to catcher Kyle Teel for the first out at home. Teel stepped on the plate, turned and rifled a throw to first to beat Hulett to the bag for the second out of the inning.
Cavaliers first baseman Devin Ortiz celebrated the double play and skipped toward the dugout. He then tossed the ball toward the mound, thinking that the Cavaliers recorded the final out of the inning and not realizing his team needed a third out.
Ortiz then processed his mistake and sprinted back toward the ball. He snagged it off the ground and threw to Teel at home. The Cavaliers catcher tagged Panthers third baseman Sky Duff as he slid into the area, completing a triple play and ending the inning.
The Panthers went on to plate the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Hulett went 2 for 4 in the victory. Right fielder Alex Tappen went 2 for 4 for the Cavaliers. Panthers starting pitcher Billy Corcoran earned his fifth win of the season. He allowed seven hits and one run over seven innings.
The Panthers (21-13) face West Virginia (22-12) at 6 p.m. EDT Tuesday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The No. 8 Cavaliers (27-9) face VCU (19-15) at 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Richmond, Va.
