Parker, Hultzen Help U-Va. Grow Without the Pains

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Virginia baseball coach Brian O'Connor first believed in the Cavaliers' potential during the third weekend of the season, when they traveled to Wake Forest and left with a three-game sweep.

Sophomore center fielder Jarrett Parker went 8 for 16 in the series, with a home run and three stolen bases. Freshman left-hander Danny Hultzen earned the win in the first game by striking out nine Demon Deacons and allowing only two runs in seven innings.

The former Washington area prep standouts have headlined the Cavaliers ever since. Parker has become the team's top hitter. Hultzen excels as the Cavaliers' top pitcher and on Monday was named ACC freshman of the year, the first Virginia player to earn that honor. Together, they represent why the Cavaliers have exceeded expectations and emerged as a potential threat in the postseason.

Entering the season, observers expected growing pains after Virginia lost 11 letter-winners from a 39-win team that lost in the NCAA regionals. Even O'Connor needed convincing. But he became a believer after those three early-season games in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"We have a chance to have a pretty special club," O'Connor said after the Cavaliers showed resolve at a site where they historically have struggled.

Entering the ACC tournament, which begins Wednesday in Durham, N.C., Virginia has amassed a 39-12-1 record and has lost by more than two runs only three times. Unranked entering the season, the Cavaliers climbed into the rankings following the Wake Forest sweep and ascended as high as No. 7. They are currently ranked No. 15 in the coaches' poll and remain a likely candidate to host an NCAA regional.

"It's kind of unique because of the success we've had, usually you don't exceed expectations," O'Connor said. "But I think we got a really good ballclub."

Parker and Hultzen are the two primary catalysts. In 2007, Parker was a second-team All-Met at Colonial Forge in Stafford. Hultzen, a Bethesda native who attended St. Albans, was named All-Met Player of the Year in 2008.

Parker offered a glimpse of his pending production during batting practice last fall, when home runs easily sailed off his bat. Such power in a controlled setting would not usually draw O'Connor's interest, but Parker had spent the summer adding 19 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame.

"A number of his balls that were flying out of the ballpark were no-doubters," O'Connor said. "Last year, he'd have a tough time hitting the ball out of the ballpark in BP. I don't put too much stock into BP, but when a guy is doing it with some frequency, you know he's a different player."

Parker didn't realize his transformation until teammates made comments. Pitchers became frustrated when he smashed home runs in intrasquad scrimmages. He watched film from last season and was amazed at the change.

"He never stops eating, and he's obsessed with keeping the weight," said sophomore outfielder John Barr, Parker's roommate. "He'll always be making [peanut butter and jelly sandwiches] at 12 o'clock at night. We eat at the cafeteria, he'll get a to-go meal, too. When we eat three meals, he eats six."