Chris Pollard Backs Duke University After Virginia's 10-5 Louisville Loss

duke university was the backdrop to Virginia’s 10-5 loss at Louisville on Saturday, a result that finished off the series and sharpened the stakes entering Charlotte. Chris Pollard said the Cavaliers still have enough to win in the ACC Tournament and beyond, but he also said they have to clean up their play quickly.

Chris Pollard and Louisville

The loss dropped Virginia to 14-15 over its final 29 games after a 21-5 start through the first 26. That split tells the story of a team that opened fast, then faded through the stretch that mattered most for postseason seeding and momentum.

Pollard said his confidence has not changed. “I have full confidence in this club’s ability to win an ACC Tournament. We’ve done it before, and this team is more talented than some teams that I have done it with. I have full confidence in this team’s ability to win a regional and continue to advance.”

Virginia’s late-season slide

But the recent numbers leave little margin. Virginia finished 2-7 in ACC regular-season play against Pitt, Cal and Louisville, and the 10-5 defeat at Louisville clinched the series loss. The Cavaliers went 35-20 overall, with an RPI of 23, while posting a 7-9 record in Quad 1 games and a 9-7 mark in Quad 2 games.

Pollard also said the team has to raise its level after the last two games. “But we have to play better,” he said. “We have to get better in all three phases than we were the last two days.” He added, “That starts with our coaching staff and me.”

Charlotte for Virginia

Virginia returns to practice on Monday and turns toward a big week in Charlotte. Pollard said, “We’re committed to these guys,” and “We have a lot of baseball still left ahead of us.” The immediate task is simple: tighten the three phases he named before the tournament bracket starts to sort out the rest.