University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Appalachian St
Spiders Score Four In Ninth, Edge ASU 6-5
02/24/2001 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2001
Wilmington, North Carolina - Senior Chad Balog (Brockport, N.Y./Brockport) hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and freshman second baseman Bobby LeNoir (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) drew a two-out bases-loaded walk later in the inning to bring home the winning run as the University of Richmond Spiders edged the Appalachian State Mountaineers 6-5 on the second day of the Hughes Brothers Baseball Challenge at Brooks Field in Wilmington, N.C.
Richmond raised its record to 4-6, while ASU fell to 1-6.
Appalachian State sophomore righthander Tyson Blocker did not allow a hit through seven innings. Senior catcher John Nathans (Warwick, N.Y./Trinity Pawling) singled to lead off the bottom of the eighth for the Spiders, who trailed 5-0. Following a sacrifice bunt, freshman centerfielder Bryan Pritz (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) had an RBI single and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Vito Chiaravalloti (Middletown, N.J./Christian Brothers). Richmond trailed 5-2 heading to the ninth.
Senior rightfielder Ryan Martin (Mahwah, N.J./Milford Academy) was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the ninth. Following a strikeout, Nathans was also hit by a pitch. Freshman righthander Tom Graham came in in relief for Appalachian State. Balog came off the bench and greeted Graham with his first home run of the season to tie the game at 5-5. Pritz then doubled and moved to third as sophomore shortstop David Reaver (Union Bridge, Md./Linganore) reached on an error. Sophomore lefthander Thomas Krasnor came in for ASU. After Reaver stole second, senior DH Manny Cicchiello (Weathersfield, Conn./Loomis-Chaffee) was intentionally walked. Chiaravalloti lined back to Krasnor for the second out, but LeNoir worked a walk to bring home Pritz and give the Spiders the 6-5 victory.
Senior righthander Brian Lane (Crofton, Md./Arundel) pitched the final five innings for Richmond and earned his first collegiate win. He allowed two singles, no runs, no walks and he struck out five.
Richmond will face West Virginia on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. on day three of the Hughes Brothers Baseball Challenge in Wilmington, N.C.
Appalachian State 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 9 2
Richmond 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 6 5 1
Leonards, T.Martin (4), Lane (5) and Nathans.
Blocker, Wood (8), Graham (9), Krasnor (9) and Wellborn.
WP - Lane (1-0). LP - Graham (0-1). Save - none.
Home runs: Balog (UR) in the ninth with two on, his first.
