ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605240058
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: TUSCALOOSA, ALA.
SOURCE: FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
Notre Dame handed Jason Sekany his first loss as a starter and sent Virginia into the loser's bracket of the South 1 Regional with a 12-1 victory Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Division I baseball tournament.
``This is not exactly how we wanted to get started,'' said UVa coach Dennis Womack, who is taking the Cavaliers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1985. ``We didn't throw or hit well. Basically, they just kind of kicked us.''
Sekany (6-3) did not survive the fourth inning, allowing six runs on seven hits by fifth-seeded Notre Dame (41-20), which got at least one hit from each starter. Senior George Restovich had four hits, including a two-run home run in the eighth inning, and drove in five runs.
``It was evident that I didn't have very good stuff,'' said Sekany, coming off back-to-back victories over No.7 Florida State. ``The first guy hit a double, and it just snowballed from there.''
Darin Schmalz (9-4), a junior right-hander, limited Virginia to one hit in seven innings. The Cavaliers, whose .271 batting average was ninth among nine ACC teams, matched a season low with three hits.
The Cavaliers, who have not lost consecutive games since April 6-7, play at 11 a.m. today against the winner of Thursday's final game between top-seeded Alabama, a 19-2 winner over Princeton.
``Luckily, it's a double-elimination tournament,'' Sekany said. ``It's hard to say we didn't come in flat because of the way we played because of the way we played, but we're not content with winning the ACC Tournament.''
Staff ace and ACC Tournament most valuable player Seth Greisinger will get the start today for Virginia, which fell to (41-20). Notre Dame (44-16), the Big East Conference runner-up, won for the 11th time in 13 games in lifting its record to 44-16.
``Now we've just got to try and play another day,'' Womack said. ``Our kids are mature enough not to stay down over this. The percentages say we will do better against whoever we play [today].''
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB