First year infielder Jake Gelof walked up to the plate for the first time on Friday afternoon with the Virginia Cavaliers facing a 1-0 deficit to the South Carolina Gamecocks. After seeing three pitches from USC’s Brett Kerry — two balls and a strike — Gelof absolutely unloaded on pitch four for a monster home run.
Gelof knew it as soon as it left the bat, pausing at home plate to watch the ball sail over the left field wall. He trotted the bases, greeted by his teammates at home with the score now knotted at 1-1 in the first game of the Columbia Regional.