Gelof breaks UVA home run record in win over Richmond
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 SPORTS) -- Fans at Disharoon Park get a free cup of coffee in the 5th inning if a Virginia player hits a home run, but on Tuesday they also got a piece of history as Jake Gelof hit career home run No. 38 to break the program record in an 18-0 win over Richmond.
Everyone at The Dish knew what was possible when Gelof went up to bat in the fifth inning, but the junior stepped into the box with the same approach as always before delivering a ball over the left field wall to break E.J. Anderson's record set in 1998.
"It was just like pure excitement, once I saw it land it was just, I don't know I was really exciting and I'm just happy for it to have happened today," Gelof said, "It was really cool. Really really cool. "
The home run by Gelof brought the crowd to their feet and gave No. 7 Virginia a spark. The Cavaliers scored 15 runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings with two grand slams by Harrison Didawick and Ethan Anderson, the first multi-grand slam game for UVA since 2000, before the game ended because of a run-rule.
The day belonged to Gelof though, who has four home runs in his last four games in a sprint to the finish, similar to his career with only four homers as a freshman, 21 as a sophomore and 13 so far this season.
"I am extremely proud of Jake Gelof," UVA baseball coach Brian O'Connor said, "You know when you break the all time career record in less than three seasons and really didn't play much in the first half of the first year, shows his consistency. Ever since we plugged him in his freshman year, he's in the batters box, he's aggressive, he gets his moneys worth."
Virginia also extended the nation's longest home winning streak to 22 games and will continue their homestand on Wednesday against Mount St. Mary's.