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APRIL 2019 25 With these built-in advantages for the Cavaliers, the recruiting process didn't take long. "I was pitching here at a July 4th tourna- ment my sophomore year of high school and that's when they pulled me off and told me, 'We want you to come to Virginia,'" Abbott recalled. "I committed soon after. It all happened pretty quick." The 6-0, 175-pound southpaw began his career at Virginia by garnering Fresh- man All-America honors last season, while pitching almost exclusively out of the bull- pen. He made 23 relief appearances and compiled a 3.18 ERA. His 74 strikeouts as a reliever ranked third in the ACC and sixth nationally. He tied for the team lead with six saves and fanned five or more batters in nine of his 24 appearances. He opened the 2019 season on the watch list for the National Colle- giate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year award, which is given to the country's top relief pitcher. "Everybody knew him from last year," head coach Brian O'Connor said. "They know what he's capable of do- ing. Last year, he was the new guy on the scene, and it took a while for people to figure him out." Unfortunately for Abbott, that happened in the third game of the 2019 season against Cal State Fullerton Feb. 17. Following a one-two-three eighth inning and with Virginia leading 5-3, the Titans opened the top of the final frame with a walk, a double and a hit batsman to load the bases. Fullerton tied the game on a single and a sacrifice fly, and took the lead on another single to short that proved to be the winning margin. While Abbott struggled, he also was victimized by an arguable call at the plate on the tying run and poor com- munication from his infielders on the go- ahead score. O'Connor, a former collegiate closer, cer- tainly understands the stress associated with trying to close out games late. "Certainly that outing against Cal State Fullerton, we had a chance to win that ball- game and didn't," Virginia's skipper said. "When you're pitching at the end of the game, everything rides on your shoulders, at least that's how you feel. "I've pitched in that role before. It's a high-pressure role." Over his next three outings, Abbott bounced back by allowing just one hit and no runs in 3⅓ innings. The following game, though, the second-year lefty struggled, sur- rendering four runs in two innings in an 8-6 loss against Duke March 10. Abbott said that in reviewing the Duke and Cal State Fullerton games, he looked at his mental approach more than his physical approach. "I think I got beat because I wasn't smart," he noted. "I think in those games where I've had the mishaps, where I've given up runs, I didn't process quick enough. "When I'm ahead in the count, what do I have to do to get them out? If I left a meat pitch over the plate, what would I do differ- ently next time? I didn't give my mind time to process what I had to do in those situations; what I should have done in those situations." Focusing on his men- tal approach was the key factor in Virginia's 7-5, series-clinching win over Pittsburgh March 23. Entering the game in the fifth inning with the Hoos up 2-1, Abbott sur- rendered a leadoff walk and a wild pitch put the tying run in scoring position with two outs. Pitt scored the tying run when the left fielder dropped a fly ball and took the lead on a throwing error by the right fielder. Abbott stayed focused despite the two er- rors and while the Panthers were able to manufacture a run in the sixth inning, Abbott gutted out the frame, forcing an inning-end- ing double play with the bases loaded. The offense got a run in the bottom of the sixth and Abbott kept his club in the game with a three up, three down, 10-pitch seventh. "Andrew hung in there and didn't let the game get too far out of hand," O'Connor said. "I'm a big believer that if you work hard and have a positive mindset, a positive feeling about what you're doing, the game of baseball will come back around to you." It has for Abbott. After that Duke game, he allowed just two earned runs over his next 11 innings of work (1.64 ERA). He struck out 11 batters during that stretch and the Hoos went 3-1 in those contests. "This year, I don't think there's added pressure to me," Abbott noted. "I have to go out and compete and want it more than the other team. I think that's the biggest thing. "When you start to realize that and come to terms with it, then you can make it happen." "When you're pitching at the end of the game, everything rides on your shoulders, at least that's how you feel. … It's a high-pressure role." HEAD COACH BRIAN O'CONNOR ON ABBOTT Last year, Abbott tied for the team lead with six saves, and posted a 3.18 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 51 innings en route to ACC All-Freshman and Freshman All-America accolades. PHOTO BY PETE EMERSON/COURTESY UVA