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SPRING 2024 21 duo shared the Richmond Times-Dispatch Metro Co-Player of the Year Award in high school. O'Ferrall was also the quarterback to current UVA wide receiver Andre Greene Jr., who recently transferred to Virginia's football team from North Carolina. Donning the Virginia script on the front of his chest was always a dream for O'Ferrall, so when the offer to come play for the Cava- liers arrived it was an easy decision. Grow- ing up about 90 miles from the UVA athletic precinct, O'Ferrall frequented baseball games at Disharoon Park and basketball games at John Paul Jones Arena. TABLE SETTER In just two years, he's built an athletic ré- sumé that rivals many of the Cavalier greats he watched from the stands. En route to Vir- ginia's second College World Series appear- ance in three years, O'Ferrall put together one of the best statistical seasons ever in 2023. The Cavalier table setter batted .396 with 20 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run and 42 RBI as a sophomore. On the base paths he was successful on 16 of his 18 stolen base attempts. O'Ferrall shattered the program's single-season records for hits (108) and runs scored (76). "He's a hard-nosed player that gets clutch hits and makes the clutch plays," O'Connor said. "Certainly batting at the top of the lineup makes our offensive ball club go." The 2023 Virginia offense didn't just go, it rolled like a locomotive on a downhill straightaway. The Cavaliers led the country in team batting average (.332), doubles (172), doubles per game (2.65) and hits (766). It ranked in the top 10 in the nation in eight offensive statistical categories. The conductor of that train was O'Ferrall, who served as a prototypical leadoff man. He accumulated 28 first-inning hits in 2023 and had a hit in the first inning of seven of UVA's eight NCAA Tournament games. It was no coincidence that when Virginia was suc- cessful it got out to fast starts. The Cavaliers won 35 of their 41 games in which they scored first, and the first inning was UVA's most productive frame, in large part thanks to O'Ferrall's efforts. No better illustration of O'Ferrall's instant impact came in the NCAA Super Regional against Duke. The Cavaliers dropped a one- run decision in the opener to put UVA on the verge of elimination. O'Ferrall sent the second pitch of Game 2 over the left field wall to give UVA a 1-0 lead, sending the Disharoon Park faithful into a frenzy. It was his first home run of the season O'Ferrall started every single game in his first two seasons in college — 123 straight — and he batted leadoff in all but one of those games. (Photo by Matt Riley/courtesy UVA)