Charlotte Baseball Dominates No. 11 Virginia with 14-0 Mercy Rule Victory

Charlotte Baseball secured a dominant 14-0 victory over No. 11 Virginia in seven innings at Hayes Stadium on Tuesday night (March 3), marking their largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent since 1997. A season-high crowd of 1,012 witnessed the Niners’ impressive performance.

Niners Set the Tone Early

Charlotte (8-3) quickly established control, with starting pitcher Chayse Oxborrow striking out the side in the first inning. The Niners’ offense followed suit, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Charlotte never relinquished their lead, scoring in all six innings at the plate.

Oxborrow’s Stellar Performance

Junior lefty Chayse Oxborrow delivered a standout pitching performance, totaling 12 strikeouts in six innings of work. He allowed just one hit and faced only one batter over the minimum. Oxborrow picked off a runner attempting to steal second and issued only one walk.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and I’m never going to forget that pitching performance from Chayse here,” said head coach Robert Woodard. “Chayse Oxborrow was absolutely electric. He was dotting fastballs, throwing left-on-left changeups and back-door breakers. You name it, and he was doing it. I could’ve sat there and watched him throw 1,000 pitches tonight.”

Offensive Explosion

The Niners’ offense continued its hot streak, recording a season-high 17 hits – their longest streak of games with double-digit hits since 2022. All batters in the lineup recorded a hit, with six players notching multiple hits. Dawson Bryce and Robert Nedry led the way with three hits each.

Dylan Koontz hit a grand slam, his second of the season, and Bryce added a two-run home run. Hudson drove in three runs for Charlotte.

Key Moments

• First Inning: Charlotte takes an early lead with two runs.
• Second Inning: The Niners score six runs, highlighted by Koontz’s grand slam, to extend their lead to 7-0.
• Third & Fourth Innings: Charlotte adds two runs in each inning, increasing their advantage.
• Fifth Inning: Bryce’s home run and Nedry’s double contribute to another two-run inning.
• Sixth Inning: The Niners tack on one final run to complete the 14-0 victory.

Up Next

Charlotte and Virginia will play the second game of their midweek series on Wednesday, March 4, at Atrium Health Ballpark in Kannapolis. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. And will be streamed on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers’ YouTube channel.