After three consecutive ACC home series, the Hoos hit the road again in ACC play. Still looking for their first series win in conference play, UVA faces a significant challenge in Georgia Tech.

Game Schedule

Thursday, April 1 – 4:00 PM

Friday, April 2 – 6:00 PM

Saturday, April 3 – 1:00 PM

Team Records

Virginia: 11-13 (Overall), 4-11 (ACC)

Georgia Tech: 13-7 (Overall), 10-5 (ACC)

Stat Comparison

The format will be raw stat and then rank in Division 1. Info is as of games played on March 30.

Batting

OBP = On Base Percentage

SLG = Slugging Percentage

Pitching

K/9 = Strikeouts Per 9 Innings

BB/9 = Walks Per 9 Innings

Miscellaneous

FLD % = Fielding Percentage

SOS = Strength Of Schedule

Note that all stats are from NCAA.com. RPI and strength of schedule data is from Warrennolan.com and is as of games played through March 30, 2021.

Projected Starting Pitchers

Thursday

GT LHP Brant Hurter (2-2, 3.45 ERA, 31.1 IP, 10 walks, 38 strikeouts) vs UVA RHP Griff McGarry (0-3, 5.75 ERA, 19.0 IP, 11 walks, 20 strikeouts)

It would be easy to confuse Hurter with a Yellow Jacket football player as the junior lefty goes 6-6 and 250 pounds. But his home is indeed on the mound.

After missing all of the shortened 2020 season and May and June 2019 due to Tommy John surgery, Hurter made his return to the mound this season. Batters are currently hitting .250 against him on the season.

Last weekend, Hurter started in the Friday slot against Duke. He threw 7.0 innings of 6 hit baseball against the Blue Devils. Hurter gave up 2 runs (both earned), walked 1, and struck out 7. Hurter picked up the win as the Yellow Jackets took the game 5 to 2.

In 2019, Hurter started the Sunday series rubber match against UVA in Atlanta. He led Georgia Tech to a 6 to 5 win, pitching 7.0 innings as the starter. In those 7.0 innings, Hurter gave up 7 hits, 2 runs (both earned), walked none, and struck out 7.

In 2018, Hurter made a relief appearance in the Sunday series rubber match against the Hoos in Charlottesville. Hurter threw 2.0 innings of relief in the 8 to 4 UVA win. He gave up 3 hits, 2 runs (both earned), walked 1, and struck out 1.

D1 Baseball notes that Hurter throws from a low, three-quarters arm slot. He’ll max his fastball out between 91 and 93 MPH while sitting 89 to 91 MPH. Hurter features a quality slider that sits 79 to 82 MPH and a changeup that sits 83 to 84 MPH. D1 also ranks Hurter as the 18th best 2021 MLB Draft prospect in the ACC.

T5 | Strikeout. Number. 10.

Brant Hurter is DEALING

? @accnetwork pic.twitter.com/ExFIstvGK6

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 13, 2021

Friday

GT RHP Andy Archer (4-1, 1.82 ERA, 34.2 IP, 10 walks, 37 strikeouts) vs UVA LHP Andrew Abbott (2-4, 2.48 ERA, 36.1 IP, 13 walks, 50 strikeouts)

Archer missed the 2019 season with an injury to his UCL that did not require Tommy John surgery. During the abbreviated 2020 season, he worked as Georgia Tech’s closer.  He recorded 2 saves for the Yellow Jackets while working 10.2 innings. During those innings, Archer posted a 4.22 ERA while striking out 16.

Archer has worked as Georgia Tech’s Saturday starter the entire season. Last weekend in a 3 to 0 series clinching win at Duke, Archer pitched 8.0 innings of shutout baseball. He surrendered 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 9. Batters are currently hitting .200 against Archer on the season.

In 2018, Archer made two relief appearances in the series in Charlottesville. Archer pitched 1.0 innings of scoreless baseball as GT’s final pitcher in the series opening 8 to 6 UVA win. He gave up 1 hit, walked 1, and struck out none in that outing. In the series rubber match finale, won by UVA 8 to 4, Archer again was the final Yellow Jackets pitcher in the game. He threw 0.2 innings while giving up no runs, 1 hit, and no walks while striking out 1.

Archer, like Hurter, has a frame that would be well-suited for the football field (6-4 and 225). D1 Baseball notes that he sits in the lower 90s with his fastball but in the past routinely sat in the mid 90s. He has an improving curveball that sits in the mid 70s. And Archer possesses one of the nation’s best changeups that will usually be found in the low 80s.

Andy Archer, Wicked Changeup and K Strut. ?

9th K. pic.twitter.com/AImI5TBTaa

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2021

Saturday

GT LHP Sam Crawford (2-2, 4.91 ERA, 25.2 IP, 8 walks, 19 strikeouts) vs UVA RHP Mike Vasil (3-2, 2.51 ERA, 32.1 IP, 4 walks, 31 strikeouts)

During the 2020 season, Crawford served as a top bullpen option for Georgia Tech. The abbreviated season was Crawford’s debut season. In 8 appearances, the lefty pitched 9.2 innings. Crawford had a 1.86 ERA as he gave up only 2 earned runs in those 8 appearances while striking out 14.

This season, Crawford has served as Georgia Tech’s Sunday starter each weekend. In last weekend’s series finale against Duke, Crawford pitched 2.2 innings. He took the loss for the Yellow Jackets as Duke won the game 9 to 7. In those 2.2 innings, Crawford gave up 5 hits, 5 runs (all earned), and 3 walks. He also struck out 4 Blue Devils. Opposing batters are hitting .250 against Crawford on the season.

According to D1 Baseball, Crawford was initially a walk on for Georgia Tech. His fastball topped out in the low 80s. Now, he sits 94 to 95 MPH with his fastball. Crawford has two secondary pitches, a changeup that sits at 80 MPH and a curveball that sits 76 to 78 MPH.

This will be Crawford’s first appearance against the Hoos.

Weather Forecast Via Weather.com

Despite heading south, the Hoos will be facing unseasonably chilly temps at first pitch Thursday. The forecast has temps in the upper 40s. Skies will be clear and there’s no chance of precipitation. The wind will be an issue during the game, however. The forecast is currently calling for winds around 20 MPH throughout the game.

Friday’s forecast is similar to Thursday’s, but slightly improved. Temps should be in the lower 50s, decreasing into the upper 40s by the end of the game. Skies will be clear and there’s no precipitation in the forecast. Winds will be around 10 MPH throughout the game, so they’ll be less likely to make an impact.

Things continue to improve into Saturday. Skies will be partly cloudy but temps should be in the lower 60s for the game. The chance of precipitation is minor. And winds will be negligible.

Media Coverage

Live streaming will be available on ACC Network Xtra for all three games. You can access the ACC Network Xtra stream via ESPN’s streaming platforms. Your content provider must carry ACC Network in order to access the stream.

Yellow Jacket To Watch

Georgia Tech has an impressive legacy of players at the catcher position. Baseball fans know Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, and Joey Bart. Freshman phenom Kevin Parada looks to be the next to join that list.

Parada, out of Pasadena, California, entered Georgia Tech as Perfect Game’s 30th overall ranked recruit in the 2020 class. He was the number 3 catcher in the class as well.

All Parada has done this season is show up on campus in Atlanta and become the top bat in the Yellow Jackets’ lineup.

Parada currently features a slash line of .410 / .459 / .679. His OPS is 1.138.

He leads GT regulars in batting average (.410), slugging (.679), hits (32), triples (2 – tied), RBI (19 – tied), and strikeouts (22). He’s second in on base percentage (.459), and runs (17 – tied). And Parada’s 3 home runs are currently tied for 3rd on the team.

KEVIN PARADA ? ALERT!!

Back to Back JACKS for Tech ??? pic.twitter.com/LahOHl5tM8

— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) March 27, 2021

Prediction

The formula for winning an ACC series for UVA has become stunningly simple – perform at the plate. As anyone who has watched the Hoos this year knows, and the stats verify, that’s been a consistent struggle.

Georgia Tech is currently ranked 6th in D1 Baseball’s Top 25. And they’re 2nd in the HoosPlace ACC Power Rankings. A big part of that success is at the plate where they’re in the top 30 nationally in scoring.

Unfortunately, there’s no reason to expect UVA to win this series. It would be awesome if they’re playing for a series win on Saturday instead of trying to avoid a sweep.

But this series is looking like a Georgia Tech sweep for now.