Griff O'Ferrall confident in Virginia bouncing back from loss

It’s a do-or-die situation for the Virginia Cavaliers in Sunday’s College World Series matchup against TCU after losing a 6-5 heartbreaker against Florida in the opener.

Friday’s opening matchup against Florida saw both teams score five runs in the final three innings, including a four-run seventh from Virginia. The Gators had been leading 1-0 until the seventh, giving them the insurance they needed to win and advance to the next round.

“This team has bounced back all year long,” Virginia shortstop Griff O’Ferrall said. “We started in Supers after going down the first game. Just the way this team comes together and fights, it’s been one of our key morals all year long. And it’s something we talk about all the time.

“It’s just one thing about our team, we’re not going to go down without a fight. I think getting back tomorrow in practice and getting our plan ready for Sunday, I think we’ll be good to go.”

O’Ferrall did his part in keeping the Cavaliers in the game. He went 2-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and was responsible for three of Virginia’s five runs, also tagging home from an Ethan O’Donnell RBI single.

Since arriving in Charlottesville before last season, the sophomore shortstop has started 122 consecutive games for Virginia. He’s made the most of his second collegiate season, compiling a team-high 107 hits on a .398 batting average. He’s collected 133 total bases and has knocked in 42 RBIs.

The Virginia native’s efforts earned him a spot on the list for the semifinal for the Brooks Wallace Award, annually bestowed on the nation’s top SS. O’Ferrall is the first Cavalier semifinalist since Chris Taylor cracked the list in 2011.

Still, it’ll take more than just O’Ferrall’s bat to keep Virginia’s season alive. The Cavaliers are averaging over nine runs per game during their NCAA Tournament run and have a 40-3 overall record when scoring more than six runs in a single game. If the whole team’s bats come alive — it has been almost impossible to stop the Cavaliers when they’re piling up on the scoreboard.

A win for the Cavaliers would move them into the semifinals of the consolation bracket, where they would face the loser of Monday’s Wake Forest vs. LSU game. A loss would send them back to Charlottesville empty-handed.

Before we get there, the first pitch against the Horned Frogs is set for 2 p.m. ET live on ESPN and ESPN+. According to Caesars Sportsbook, Virginia is the betting favorite (-210) heading into the matchup. The over/under is set at 11.5.