CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Henry Godbout hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning and 12th-seeded Virginia came from behind to beat Kansas State 7-4 in the opener of the Charlottesville Super Regional on Friday night.
Virginia (45-15) can advance to its seventh College World Series with a win on Saturday. Kansas State (35-25), which has never won a super regional or played in the CWS, must win the next two games to advance.
Kaelen Culpepper’s two-run double in the third gave the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
Virginia used a sacrifice fly and a groundout to score twice in the fifth and get within a run. The Cavaliers took a 4-3 lead the next inning on Griff O’Ferrall’s two-out two-run double.
K-State tied the game in the top of the seventh on David Bishop’s one-out solo homer.
Godbout’s go-ahead shot to left field on a 1-0 pitch was his ninth home run of the season and it was the only hit the Cavaliers had in the inning.
Evan Blanco (8-3) got the start and the win for Virginia. He allowed four runs on five hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out nine. Matt Augustin got the final two outs for his first save.
Blake Dean (4-4) took the loss after giving up two runs on a hit and a walk, retiring two batters.
Virginia most recently appeared in the CWS last season. The Cavaliers won their only championship in 2015 when they beat Vanderbilt. Virginia was the runner-up in 2014, losing to the Commodores.
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