OMAHA — Pavin Smith homered and drove in three runs, and Brandon Waddell turned in another strong College World Series pitching performance, leading Virginia over Vanderbilt, 4-2, on Wednesday night for the university’s first baseball national championship.
The Cavaliers (44-24) prevailed in a College World Series finals rematch against the Commodores, the defending champions, and gave the Atlantic Coast Conference its first title in baseball since Wake Forest in 1955.
Waddell (5-5) went seven innings and allowed only two hits after Vanderbilt (51-21) scored twice in the first. He retired the last 11 batters he faced. It was Waddell’s fifth career C.