Reliever Neeck strikes out 16, leads Virginia past ODU 8-3

(AP) – Reliever Brandon Neeck struck out 16 of the 17 batters he retired and Devin Ortiz hit a two-run home run to help guide Virginia to an 8-3 victory over No. 11 overall seed Old Dominion in the Columbia Regional on Sunday, setting up a showdown on Monday with the winner earning a berth to the Super Regionals.
Neeck (1-0) came into the game with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning and the Cavaliers (32-24) leading 5-2. Neeck sandwiched two strikouts around a walk that forced in a run to get out of the jam. Virginia starter Griff McGarry added eight strikeouts in his 3 1/3 innings of work as the pair combined to fan 24 of 27 batters retired. Neeck allowed three hits and two walks in going the final 5 2/3 innings.
Kyle Teel singled in a run in the top of the first inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Nic Kent as the Cavaliers (32-24) grabbed a 2-0 lead. Ortiz’s homer in the third doubled the lead and Max Cotier’s RBI single in the fourth made it 5-0. Logan Michaels had a two-run single in the ninth to cap the scoring for Virginia.
McGarry breezed through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. McGarry surrendered back-to-back homers to Kenny Lavari and Carter Trice to begin the inning, then walked three of the next four hitters to load the bases and end his day.
____
More NCAA baseball tournament coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-world-series