University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
George Washington
No. 21 Baseball Splits Doubleheader at George Washington
04/27/2002 | Baseball
April 27, 2002
ARLINGTON, Va. - The University of Richmond captured a 7-5 win in the second game of a doubleheader -- after dropping the first game 4-2 in 10 innings -- to salvage a split in the first two games of an Atlantic 10 series at George Washington.
In the first game, George Washington prevailed on a dramatic two-run home run by clean-up hitter Mike Basset in the 10th inning. The homer came off Richmond starter Tim Stauffer who fell to 11-2 on the season in his 10th complete game. The Spiders only mustered four hits in the contest. Junior David Reaver's hit streak was halted at 34 games - the longest in Richmond program history.
The Spiders overcame four errors and used nine hits to capture a 7-5 win in game two. Reaver and sophomore Bryan Pritz both stroked two hits and sophomore Thomas Martin earned the win that tied Richmond and George Washington atop the Atlantic 10 West Division with identical 15-2 records. A four-run fourth catapulted the Spiders to victory.
GAME 1
After a scoreless first, Richmond started the second with back-to-back doubles from Vito Chiaravalloti and Adam Tidball. Chiravalloti scored on a Brian Ruscello ground out to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The game remained that way until the bottom of the seventh when nine-spot hitter Tony Brown delivered a two-out single to right field that scored Anthony Raglani who had doubled earlier in the frame. The contest headed to extra innings.
The Spiders went back in front in the ninth when Adam Tidball sac fly scored Pritz who had led off the frame with a double off the center field wall. The unique part of the play was that Tidball's sacrifice was caught by the GW first baseman falling backward after hitting the fence on the first base line.
That lead evaporated in the bottom of the ninth when Chris Barry belted Stauffer's second offering over the right field wall to knot the game at 2-2. Mike Bassett drove a game-winning two-run shot to deep center that won the game for the Colonials.
George Washington's Mike O'Connor improved to 3-0 with his win in relief.
GAME 2
George Washington went ahead 1-0 in the first when Jake Wald scored an unearned run on a sacrifice fly from Bassett. The Spiders tied the game when Chiaravalloti went opposite field with a homer that sailed over the right field wall.
Richmond scored a two-out run in the third when David Reaver's doubled to right center and scored on a Matt Craig single to center. The Colonials tied the game at 2-2 in their half of the inning when Matt Krimmel scored on a Barry single to left center.
A four-run fourth put the visitors in front 6-2. John Cronin, Pritz and Reaver delivered RBI singles while Michael Galligan drove in the first run on a fielder's choice grounder. The Colonials' third unearned run scored when a Tony Dokoupil singled down the third base line to score Ryan Roberson. The Spiders led 6-3 after four innings.
Pritz reestablished a four-run lead with his single to right that plated Galligan. It was 7-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth when freshman reliever Tim Rice entered the game and struck out the side. GW struck for two off Rice in the sixth to close within 7-5. A Krimmel double to left scored Dokoupil and Brown scored on an error. Reliever Andy Givens came on to end the threat by striking out Fertitta.
Givens also worked the ninth to earn his first save of the season. Martin improved to 3-0 after working 4.0 innings and allowing three runs, zero earned, on three hits.
The Spiders and Colonials complete the three-game series at Noon on Sunday, April 28. The winner will assume first place of the Atlantic 10 West Division.
