Even the most ardent University of Virginia baseball fan will probably struggle with this bit of trivia: Who is the only player in UVA history to win a College World Series ring and then a Major League Baseball world championship ring?
One person who definitely knows the answer is UVA head baseball coach Brian O’Connor, who, when asked last week, didn’t hesitate.
“Matt Doughty,” O’Connor said.
In case the name doesn’t ring a bell: Doughty was a walk-on pitcher during the Cavaliers’ amazing run to an NCAA championship in 2015. In his only season with the team, the right-handed sidearm specialist appeared in five games, including three in the ACC Tournament, and posted a more-than-respectable 2.70 earned-run average.
After graduating from UVA with a degree from the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, Doughty then won a World Series ring as a scout for the Washington Nationals last season.
