University of Richmond Athletics
Baseball Improves to 5-0 with 5-1 Win Against Albany.
02/23/2002 | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, VA - University of Richmond sophomore Tim Stauffer threw a complete-game six-hit gem and junior third baseman David Reaver went 3-4 with one RBI and one run scored to lead the Spiders in a 5-1 win against Albany at Pitt Field. Richmond (5-0) is off to its best start since the 1995 season when they went to the NCAA Tournament and finished the year 43-17.
Stauffer (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), who improved to 2-0 on the season, did not allow an earned run and struck out six. Reaver (Union Bridge, Md.), batting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season, collected three consecutive hits, including a run-scoring single in the Spiders' three-run eighth.
Albany scored the game's first run in the top of the third. After one out, Tony Vallone singled through the left side. Lead off hitter Eddie Scott followed with a double to right center and when the cutoff throw sailed over Matt Craig's glove, Vallone scored.
The Spiders tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Reaver drew a walk, moved to second on a balk and scored when Vito Chiaravalloti (Middletown, N.J.) drove a single through the left side.
Albany threatened in the top of the sixth but Stauffer forced a pop-out and a ground-out with a runner on third to keep the game tied, 1-1. The Spiders took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when a Bryan Pritz (Wilmette, Ill.) double plated Adam Tidball (Bethesda, Md.) who had walked with two outs.
Richmond scored three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 5-1 lead. Freshman Jim Fasasno (Horsham, Pa.) led off the frame with a single and after freshman John Cronin (Branford, Conn.) entered the game as a pinch runner, he scored on a Tidball double down the left field line. Tidball later scored on a Michael Galligan (Woodbury, N.Y.) sacrifice fly and Pritz, who had walked, then scored the game's final run on a Reaver single.
The Spiders outhit the Great Danes, 8-6. Six Albany batters collected one hit, with center fielder Eddie Scott stroking the only extra base hit, a third-inning double. Junior starter Will Haskel suffered the loss after allowing two runs in 5.2 innings.
The Spiders host Cleveland State in a three-game series next weekend. The first game is at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 1 and is followed by a 1 p.m. game on March 2 and March 3.
