CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- No. 9 Virginia used a five-run seventh inning to get past No. 12 Florida State and earn an 8-4 victory Friday night at Davenport Field.
Kevin Doherty started the game playing left field, hitting a two-RBI single to center field in the second inning, but moved to the pitcher's mound in the seventh inning, throwing 1.1 innings of relief and earning his first career win.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Virginia (13-5, 2-4 ACC) sent 11 batters to the plate in its half of the inning. Kenny Towns laced a two-out single to right field to plate a pair of runs. Matt Thaiss doubled to right field to score two more before Ernie Clement singled to left to score Thaiss.
Thaiss finished the game going 2-for-3, including hitting a solo home run to right in the fourth inning, and three RBI. Thaiss leads the team with seven homers this season.
Florida State (17-5, 5-1) scored three runs in the top of the second off starter Nathan Kirby. Virginia scored two of its own in the bottom of the inning when Towns singled to lead off the inning, starter Boomer Biegalski issued a walk to Thaiss and Doherty drove those two in.
After Virginia took its 8-4 lead in the bottom of the seventh, Florida State had runners on the corners with one out in the top of the eighth when Josh Sborz relieved Doherty on the mound. Sborz struck out the final two batters of the inning to preserve the four-run lead.
