In a dramatic series finale at Disharoon Park, No. 23 Virginia baseball fell to Cal, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon in what was the Cavaliers' final home game of the regular season. The loss dropped Virginia to 33-18 overall and 13-14 in ACC play, while Cal improved to 27-24 and 10-17 in conference action with the series-clinching victory.
Despite the defeat, Virginia's Joe Tiroly delivered a historic performance at the plate, smashing three home runs. He became just the seventh player in program history to achieve a three-homer game and the second Cavalier to do so this season—a feat that will be remembered long after the final score fades.
The Cavaliers stormed out of the gates, building an early 4-0 lead through the first three innings. Tiroly kicked things off in the first inning with a solo home run, and Sam Harris followed with a two-run blast—his team-leading 14th of the season—to give Virginia a 3-0 edge. In the third inning, AJ Gracia connected on his 13th home run of the year, sending a drive beyond the center-field wall to extend the lead to 4-0.
But Cal refused to back down. The Bears began their comeback in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly and a two-run home run by Gannon Snyder, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Tiroly responded in the bottom half with his second home run of the day, pushing Virginia's lead back to 5-3. However, Cal answered again in the sixth when Daniel Murillo hit a solo homer to make it a one-run game.
The turning point came in the seventh inning. With two outs, Cal's Jett Kenady delivered a grand slam that gave the Golden Bears an 8-5 lead—a blow from which the Cavaliers could not fully recover. Tiroly capped his standout performance with a third home run in the later innings, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
On the mound, Kyle Johnson received a no-decision after allowing four runs on four hits across six innings while striking out multiple batters. Lucas Hartman was charged with the loss after surrendering the go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning.
Before first pitch, Virginia honored Noah Jouras, Kevin Jaxel, Joe Colucci, Lucas Hartman, Harrison Didawick, and Dean Kampschror during a Senior Day ceremony—a poignant moment for the team and fans alike. For fans looking to celebrate the season's highs and lows, this game was a reminder of the resilience and power that defines college baseball at its best.